Another Life
by Alex-Toretto
Summary: [3 NEW chapters! from 24 to 26!]5 years later. The team is back to LA and they still race. Things haven't changed...until today. What if.... Very important: Read & Review me.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: The characters and theme of TFATF belong to Universal films any copyright infringement is completely unintended. Other characters created for this story are mine and should not be used in other materials without my permission.  
  
A/N 1. This story was rated NC-17 (for some chapters) at first but it's been modified because of the new censor of the site. If you want the true uncut version (of some chapters) of it, just email me.  
  
A/N 2. In this story Jesse lives and about Dom and Letty...well, you'll see. :-) For those girls who already know me: this is a different kind of story, with a different rhythm.well, just read it and then tell me! (  
  
- Another life -  
  
CH. 1  
  
She was new there. Someone told her that, this was the right place to meet nice people. El Gato Negro. And here she was. She got off her black Subaru Impreza and looked around. There were all kind of people outside that night club and a long queue to enter it. She turned and furrowed her eyebrow watching at the parking. Many beautiful sport cars were gathered there with lot of people around them. Looks interesting, thought Anastasia with a smile. She got in her car and drove to the parking where with some difficulties she found a little place to stop her car and got out.  
  
Each guy was nearby his car, proud of his *jewel* cheat chatting with other people while very showy girls made sheep's eyes at them. She turned out of that scene, with an ironical smile. She was definitely different from that girls. First because she had her own car, then because she wasn't the kind of person to do that. She'd always thought to be enough insignificant not too tall with her pale skin, her blue clear eyes and her blond hair which had their peculiarity in their length till her waist. But she often kept them tied up in a plait. Tonight she'd left them free wearing a blue tank top, blue camouflage cargo pants that let show her navel and black military boots a chain belt around her waist.  
  
She looked very chaste and at the same time tough, compared with those chicks out there which sent her hostiles glances, without she even knew the reason. She looked at her car; from where she came, they said it was spectacular, but now, nearby those ones it faded. Anyway like all the other drivers there, she was proud of her *jewel* .  
  
"It's your car?" she heard a male voice talking to her.  
  
"What?" she turned to see from where the voice came.  
  
A tall, blond guy, with big blue eyes, tanned but not too much and a friendly smile on his face was looking at her. "That's yours?" he repeated accentuating his smile when she turned to him and looked at him a little lost.  
  
He was cute, thought Anastasia to herself. "I'm standing next to it" she replied.  
  
He smiled more and chuckled "That's funny" he said: " One time, someone told me that it's not how you stand by your car, it's how you race your car, better learn that" he ended.  
  
"Well! Uh!.I don't race" she replied smiling embarrassed "but it's still my car!" she ended smiling friendly to the guy.  
  
"I'm Bryan. Bryan O'Connor, but here they call me Spillner" She looked at him with a questioning look. "Long story" he added with a smile offering his hand "And, I bet you're new here, I haven't seen you before" he said.  
  
"Yeah. I'm Anastasia. Anastasia Walker" she said shacking his hand "and this is, yes, my first time here".  
  
A tanned girl, very attractive, came possessive near to Bryan and he held her in his arms. "Mia, meet Anastasia Walker. She's new here" said Bryan.  
  
Mia watched attentively Anastasia. She knew that Mia was weighting her up and valuing if she was dangerous or not.  
  
Anastasia didn't want enemies just someone with which talk a little. "Hy!" she said as much friendly as she could, offering her hand to the girl.  
  
Mia waited for a while than a bit wary shook her hand. "Hy! I'm Mia Toretto, Bryan is my fiancé . So you're new here. When did you arrive?" she asked with a friendly smile.  
  
"I'm happy to meet you. Yes, I'm new. I'm just arrived 5 minutes ago", answered Anastasia, feeling uneasy. Looked like everyone knew all about everyone there.  
  
"What do you do here?" Mia asked her with a neutral tone: "You race?"  
  
"No, I don't " said Anastasia smiling " just wanted to." but Anastasia was interrupted by a guy. "Mia? Dom's calling you!" a young guy told her.  
  
"Sorry gotta go, nice to meet you" and she immediately went away.  
  
"Who's Dom?" asked Anastasia frowning curious.  
  
Bryan smiled: "Dom is Dom. He's the chief, the boss. The racer to beat. The one. Just Dom" he simply said. "Oh!" she nodded" Looks like someone special" she said in a fake solemnly tone.  
  
Bryan grinned " It's because he is. You don't know him: once you'll meet, you'll see" he said.  
  
"Yep. Maybe" said doubtfully Annie nodding.  
  
"Listen, this is the garage where I work" he said giving her a small card: "if you need for anything please come take a visit, ok?" he told her. She nodded. He was a very nice guy.  
  
" Very nice car. Original?" he asked her.  
  
"Yeah, completely." She said giving a glance to her car proudly.  
  
" It would be a perfect race car working on it a little." He said thoughtfully: "Ok, gotta go now, the race gonna start. See you"  
  
"See you" said Anastasia with a smile.  
  
She looked around once more: what a crazy world was this one. Kind of big tribe with some kind of hierarchy. She'd never seen something like that and it was fascinating. But she came from another world. Another life, made of parties, sophisticated people, big expensive cars, all this, from where she came it simply wasn't allowed. She remained there still for a while, looking around amazed by all that. She sighed, she would have liked to be part of all that. Me racing? She shook her head smiling to herself. Simply impossible. She decided it was enough for her, also because a couple of strange guys were staring her since a while with a strange look and she didn't want to have problems, so she jumped in her car and switched her engine on.  
  
Heck! Looked like people had increased meanwhile. There was no place to manoeuvre. She started to go reverse gear. She couldn't see a lot so she slowly moved her car, there were plenty of people around her now, when someone suddenly knocked on her hood making her turning to face him but she didn't stop her car and without even perceiving.. Boom! She had crashed into someone.  
  
"Shit! Noo!" She said. Not here. Not now! She thought closing her eyes. Who knows against who the heck she'd crashed into! Those cars worth enough, she thought and her only hope was that she would have crashed against someone very comprehensive.  
  
She breathed deeply and got off her car, going back to look at the damages she'd caused. The crowd had opened suddenly, and she noticed that she'd run into a beautiful red sport car damaging it quiet a lot. She looked than at her car, she'd done quiet a disaster even on her one. All the eyes of the crowd were on her murmuring something, and she would have wished that the ground would have swallowed her up now.  
  
"Can't believe it!" she said to herself blushing, putting a hand through her long hairs shocked. Now she only hoped that the owner of the car got enough humor and lot of patience, because once he'd discovered that she had no insurance and no money, well. he wouldn't have been so happy. People were mocking her and she blushed even more.  
  
"Another snowman!" she heard saying.  
  
"Who gave you the license?" an angry voice came from the crowd.  
  
She grimaced nervously, why the heck I wanted to come here? She darkly thought.  
  
"Yeah, who gave you the license?" an husky deep male voice joined her making her starting. She gulped and slowly turned herself to face him. He was big, but very big; Tanned, tall, muscled, enormous. in a phew words: amazing. He was fascinating with his dark magnetic eyes. She regretted that she was meeting him in such bad circumstances. His look was tough and indecipherable. She felt so small nearby him.  
  
"I.I'm sorry I was going on reverse gear when someone distracted me and."  
  
"Your man let you drive his car?" he interrupted her, not caring at all to what she was saying. He looked quiet almost with a sarcastic smile but she knew he had to be angry.  
  
She snorted:" It's my car" she said determined Why everybody asked her always the same question?  
  
"What's that?" he asked gesturing with his head at the chain she wore around her waist: "It's the collar with which your fiancé keeps you in check ?"he asked ironical.  
  
Arrogant bastard!  
  
She looked toughly at him: "I'm the only owner of my self" Don't let him overpower you. Said Annie mentally to herself.  
  
"And that one?" she replied her lips bent in a grin, using his same irony and motioning with her head toward his ring on his hand: "Is that the collar with which -your- fiancé holds -you- tight?" she asked teasing him with a seducing smile.  
  
Touché he thought. He smiled. He liked her way to be so insolent.  
  
"Do I know you" he asked frowning. His eyes glittering of interest.  
  
"No. You don't" she mysteriously replied.  
  
He smiled more and slowly licked his lips. Very interesting. Someone called, telling him that it was the right time to race. He nodded and turned to face her again. "Listen , I don't have time to talk now. Come tomorrow at 11.00 pm, here" he said giving her an address: " Oh, and don't try to make tricks or try to hide yourself, because it'd be useless." he warned her.  
  
She nodded putting the small card in her pocket . "Now drive away baby. I'm busy" he ended waving his hand like if she was a boring insect.  
  
"See you tomorrow" said Annie jumping on her car.  
  
She heard a voice back to her before going away: " You're becoming too soft Dom" it was a girl's voice.  
  
"Maybe" was the enigmatic Dom reply in a low tone.  
  
But Annie didn't see his face who was fixing her car moving away, his eyes full of interest. She was already driving fast away from there.  
  
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	2. ch02

CH. 2  
  
It was 11.00 pm when she arrived at the Toretto's bar. When later, that night, she'd discovered who was the man she'd crash with, she'd been shocked. Good Annie! First day you crash against the most powerful guy of the place. Great record! She thought shacking her head sadly. You're a true mess, she said to herself. She stopped her car just in front of their bar. She breathed deeply preparing herself to his fury, then she took all her courage and got off.  
  
"Hy" said Anastasia walking inside the empty bar. "Hy" was simple Mia's answer. She was back to the counter and when she raised her eyes up, she was surprised: "you here!" said Mia smiling friendly.  
  
"I'm looking for.-" was saying Annie.  
  
"You're looking for me , blondie" an husky voice came from the dark. Dominic Toretto came from the back of the bar, a beer in his hand. At the daylight he looked even bigger than the night before. He wore a sleeveless beige t-shirt and jeans.  
  
She swallowed. Come on! He cannot kill you! Said Annie to herself but she wasn't too sure about that.  
  
"You here" he simply established taking a swallow from his Corona.  
  
"I had no choice" she said with an almost ironical smile. She didn't want to let him intimidate her. His lips bent in an ironical grin and approached.  
  
"Let me present you: I'm Anastasia Walker" she said giving her hand to Dom. He slowly shook her hand and nodded.  
  
"Mia told me about you" he said studying her a little. She'd tied up in a pony tail her long blond hair. She wore low riders jeans and a small tight fitting white t-shirt with "Barbie" written on, and a chain belt. She looked almost younger than the night before. So pure . . . .and tempting. Very tempting, thought Dom, giving her one more malicious look and then lifting his stare to meet her eyes again.  
  
Anastasia felt nervous under his attentive gaze, she didn't know what to say so she bit her lip, showing a little of her nervousness.  
  
He smiled, he liked to feel in a dominant position. "Your accent..is weird" said Dom: "Where are you from"  
  
"I'm half Italian" said Annie evasive.  
  
All this formal discussion made her feel more and more worried and impatient. Because of his way to look at her, or to undress her, since this was what he was doing, his curiosity about her and most because once he'd had discovered the truth he would have been much less friendly than now. So she didn't want to waste more time but deal with him immediately. He seemed reading her thoughts.  
  
"Let's talk about yesterday" suddenly said Dom with a business tone.  
  
She breathed and took all her courage: "Listen, it's been an accident, really-" she'd started to say but he shut her up with a gesture of his hand.  
  
"It doesn't matter now. I want only my money back. We made an assessment of damages, you owe me 4000$." Said Dom very calmly.  
  
"What?" she almost shouted in astonishment. It was much more than she'd expected. "It cannot be possible" she said shacking her head in disbelief. She was really worried now. It was a fortune! Where she would have found all that money?  
  
He seemed not surprised at all of her reaction and started to list all the damages she'd done to his car. She opened her mouth and widened her eyes astonished. "You're cheating me!" she said still not believing in what he was saying. He didn't like her reply and grabbing not too gently her arm, he pulled her outside, to his car, showing her personally the damages. At the daylight, things were different and his car was seriously damaged.  
  
"Listen, I know what I'm talking about. It's my business. You're free to ask to any other garage about an advice. They'll tell you the same, and maybe even more" he simply said.  
  
Then he looked at her car calming himself a little: " Even your car took a turn to the worse" he said looking ironically at her. She watched her car and sighed. Anyway she couldn't do anything for it now.  
  
"Nice car" he added interested: "Original?" he asked her.  
  
"Yeah, fully" she said thoughtfully, her mind running fast to find a solution.  
  
She stood there for a while silently. She had no solution, except for telling him the truth. She shook her head and finally looked back at him. "Ok" she whispered taking a deep breath and preparing herself.  
  
"So if you want to give me your insurance" he was saying.  
  
"I don't have one. Well it isn't exactly because I do have one, but it's of my country and not valid here" she said in one go.  
  
It was his turn now to widen his eyes, this time. "YOU WHAT?" he asked astonished half closing his eyes and staring her tilting his head on one side. "I don't have-" she started to repeat with a little voice. "I HEARD YOU!" he shouted angry looking menacingly at her.  
  
"Dom!" Mia called him to calm down.  
  
"Ok . . . Ok . . . " he breathed calming himself and passing his hand on his bald head thoughtfully. "You gonna pay me so . . ." he continued looking more quiet now.  
  
She breathed deeply and with a soft voice, looking down to her feet she dared to say: " I . . . I can't, I haven't all that money".  
  
"You mean here, with you" he tried to give her a chance to justify her.  
  
"No, I mean I don't have it at all" she underlined. Still head down, closing her eyes and holding her breath, preparing for the worst.  
  
Now he was definitely angry she thought daring to watch his face. She knew he would have reacted badly only she hadn't imagined he could have scared her so much. Now she realized why everybody respected him so much, she thought. He was so imposing and he got that way to do, a magnetism that all the people had to follow him. Inside the bar, Mia smiled amused shacking her head. Brave girl. No one would have had the same courage as she was showing. She started to like her.  
  
"You're crazy or just silly? I mean, I could call the police for this, you know?" he angrily said his eyebrow furrowed.  
  
She felt so little and stupid in that moment. "I'm . . . I'm sorry, It's because I'm arrived a few days ago,.. and my car still don't have insurance, and also I don't have money for it and - " she realised she was babbling.  
  
All her determination seemed having abandoned her. He looked at her for a while not knowing exactly what to do and sighed. "C'mon, let's sit down and talk" he finally said.  
  
She followed him inside, they sit and she explained him all. Also Mia listened interested to her story. When she ended, he looked at her thoughtfully. "So you arrived from Italy one week ago" he said summarizing.  
  
"Yes" she nodded.  
  
"And you have no more money" he continued.  
  
"Yes"  
  
"You speak English pretty good" said Mia from the back of the counter.  
  
"It's because my dad is English" she simply explained avoiding other details.  
  
"What will you do now?" Mia asked her. Anastasia shrugged. "Find a job. Some work in a pub or a night-club, it's not what I've planned to do, but it will allow me to pay you" She explained .  
  
Dom seated in front of her leaned back, arms crossed on his chest, studying her thoughtfully.  
  
"Listen, I'll find a work and pay you all!" she said convinced.  
  
Meanwhile fiver racing cars joined the bar. She turned to see who it was. Dom didn't look interesting. He was still thinking. Four guys and a girl got out of those cars talking loudly about engines. One of them was. yes Bryan! Maybe he could have helped her .  
  
"Oh Shit!" said one of them: " A Subaru Impreza! Can't believe it!" and all the guys observed the car. Annie smiled a little, she loved her car. The girl said something and Annie recognised her voice, it was the same she'd heard the night before, while she was leaving. All the guys entered.  
  
"Hy Mia!" said the girl.  
  
"Hy Letty" replied Mia. So this was her name. "Dom" she greeted him. Dom waved his head, but didn't leave his thoughtful look from Anastasia. Letty immediately noticed Annie and frowned giving her an hostile gaze.  
  
"Who's that skank?" She asked suspiciously to Dom.  
  
"Letty don't push it! You embarrass me!" said Dom irritated. "Bring me a beer" he ordered her. Letty looked bothered by his tone. She didn't like when he diminished her authority but didn't reply, and did what he said.  
  
"So, what this snowman does here?" Letty asked toughly to Dom, like if Annie never existed. Dom gave her a warning look. He hadn't like her words, but Letty seemed ignore it. "But I do know you" she continued quietly observing Anastasia: "You're the chick who made the crash yesterday! Better learn how to drive first. You owe him a lot of money" she ended sarcastic.  
  
"Anastasia!" said Bryan in a friendly tone finally noticing her, coming inside the bar and saving her from Letty. She smiled back at him. Maybe the only who wasn't angry with her now. She literally felt like a fish out of water there. What am I doing here? Why I didn't run away when I could? She thought to herself.  
  
"So? What are you going to do skank?" insisted Letty hostile. "She will work for me" suddenly said Dom, staring Anastasia.  
  
"WHAT?????" said all together Anastasia, Letty and Mia all looking astonished, each one for a different reason. Dom nodded as it was already decided.  
  
"Here is the deal: You need a work to pay me. I need the money back and some help here, since this, you'll work for me until you'll have refund me of all the amount" he paused for a while taking a swallow of his beer. "In the morning you'll work at the bar, since Mia needed an help, then you'll work in the afternoon to the garage" he ended. "NO!" again all together said Annie and Letty. "You shut up!" said Dom to both the girls.  
  
Than he glanced to Letty to let him alone with Anastasia. She looked fed up, but obeyed.  
  
"I'll pay you, don't worry. You'll have a little money for you and by the way, you'll refund me the money you owe me" said Dom. "You looked for a work: Here it is" he simply said grinning provoking. He wasn't asking for her advice. It was already decided. She couldn't do anything.  
  
"Where do you live now?" Bryan asked her.  
  
"To an hotel since Friday, when I'll have finished all my money" she said frankly.  
  
"And then?" Bryan wanted to know.  
  
"Then I'll have to find another place." She said thoughtfully. Her future looked really dark now. "You'll come live with us" said Mia after a while.  
  
"No!" said Letty immediately. Dom gave a warning look to Letty and came back looking at her.  
  
"I don't think this is a good idea" said Annie embarrassed.  
  
"You don't have choice since you don't have money. You'll come live with us." He simply said.  
  
In what mess am I getting? She thought. But after all, even if weird, this looked to be a solution. She breathed deeply.  
  
"You sure?" asked Annie checking for Dom reaction. Dom nodded. He was satisfied of himself. Now he could have had her under his control for all the day.  
  
"Ok" Annie finally said and shook Dom's hand sealing the deal under the contrary look of Letty and the amused one of Bryan and Mia.  
  
"Looks interesting" whispered Mia to Bryan and he nodded in agreement.  
  
  
  
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	3. ch03

CH.3  
  
She arrived at the Toretto's home Friday morning with all her affairs. Mia opened her the door. "Hy Anastasia! Please come in! We are preparing for a grill outside" she said smiling friendly.  
  
Annie looked at her shyly: "Listen, I think this is not the right moment, if you want, I come later".  
  
"C'mon! Dom said you'll come live with us, so? Better know each other as soon as possible, isn't it?  
  
Annie sighed: "You sure?"  
  
"Yeah! Come on! It'll be fun!" said Mia to encourage Annie and getting her come in. "Leave your stuff right there. We'll think 'bout 'em later. Let's go outside now".  
  
Mia opened a door and walked to the garden. Annie felt terribly uneasy and out of place. "Dom! Look who joined us!" said friendly Mia indicating Anastasia which was waiting still on the door of the garden uncertain on what to do.  
  
"Good morning" said Dom louder and slowly as to give more importance on his words. Everybody turned to look at her. He was quietly observing her with a smile. It was a very fascinating smile. He made his gaze ran all over her body lazily: on her low raiders jeans, her free abds, her sleeveless white top and her face. She had no make up and she'd tied up her hair. His stare came to her eyes: " And welcome in my humble home." He paused. " It doesn't fall the door if you come here. It's tough enough." he teased her ironically accentuating his grin.  
  
Anastasia snorted: "Told Mia, that it wasn't right for me to be here now. Better come later" she tried to say justifying herself.  
  
"Why? You're part of the team now. C'mon" said Dom encouraging her in a more friendly tone "Anastasia, meet my team: Vince, Jesse, Leon, Letty, Bryan and my sister Mia. Guys say hello to Anastasia!" he said. "Hy" they answered all together. Anastasia smiled at them, from where she was.  
  
"You gonna stay there for long time?" Dom told her: "C'mon take a dish and sit down with us!" he encouraged and showed her the place to seat  
  
She nodded and took it. She seated where Dom had showed her which she discovered it was between him and Vince. Letty looked irritated but said nothing. Annie felt a bit intimidated by the two imposing guys near by her, she looked so little but the problem was Dom. Why she always felt so nervous when he was there? She paid attention of not showing it. After saying grace they started to eat.  
  
"So where are you from?" asked Vince to her giving her what had to be a charming look.  
  
"Italy" she simply said, not wanting to speak about herself.  
  
"It's far" he added hopefully wanting to talk. Dom couldn't restrain a smile, he knew his friend.  
  
"Yep" simply said Annie.  
  
"You have a boyfriend in Italy?" asked more interested Vince. Dom stopped to eat to glance at her.  
  
"No" said Annie after a pause, becoming sullen. She had to say something: "You got beautiful car. You prepared it by yourself?" she asked trying to drop subject.  
  
"Yeah . . . " answered Vince and started to talk about his car, interrupted several times by the others. Fortunately the conversation had become more relaxed and she wasn't no more the centre of their interest. Dom stared at her still for a few seconds, half closing his eyes then seemed to relax listening to Vince and the others talking.  
  
She took advantage of this to study him a little. He got charisma and the others seemed to adore him. Vince was his best friend but Bryan looked to be the one more able to stand up to him. She looked at the team fascinated and a little bit sad. She felt out of place. They were a group, a team, kind of a crazy family and she'd nothing to share with them. She came from another world, where all this wasn't allowed to her.  
  
She was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't even noticed Bryan talking to her. "Annie are you listening?" he repeated amused.  
  
"Uh? Oh? I'm sorry. I think I was inattentive" replied Annie blushing. She felt the suspicious look of Dom on her." You were saying?" she asked.  
  
" I said that also your car need to be repaired. I could do it for you, if you want" Bryan gently offered.  
  
"Well, thank you. You're very kind, but I think I couldn't afford such a cost now. I couldn't pay you" simply said Annie shrugging.  
  
"Your car could race for me" suddenly said Dom thinking at loud voice "It's a very good car.fully original".  
  
"I don't know how to race" she said shaking her head apologetic.  
  
"You maybe not, but someone else yes" he replied.  
  
"I don't let other people drive my car" said Annie promptly. He stared at her for a few seconds then grinned, it was the same for him.  
  
"It could be a way to pay your debt, and your car would be repaired" he however insisted. "Obviously it has to be prepared" he added after a while.  
  
"I think in this way, I'd never end to pay my debt with you" she said grinning ironically.  
  
"Think about it. It's a generous offer" he said ignoring her tone.  
  
"The answer is: No, thank you." she said gently but firm.  
  
"Think about it" he insisted more determined grinning sure about himself. Mia smiled: the clash had started. Annie stared at him for a while as to decide then nodded, it didn't cost a lot.  
  
Two hours later, they were all in the drawing room watching the TV. "Want some pop corn" said Letty embraced to Dom "You go Anastasia?" she continued. Dom furrowed his eyebrow. Anastasia nodded and was going to stand up.  
  
"Don't move" said Dom irritated stopping her. Annie looked at him not understanding.  
  
He turned to Letty: " First, you ask her saying please. Then she's not your waiter. If you want some pop corn, you stand up and do it by yourself" said toughly Dom. Letty snorted and looked hostile to Anastasia.  
  
"C'mon! I'll do it!" said Vince to lighten the atmosphere "You want too Anastasia?" he asked her gently. She nodded . So he stood up and went to the kitchen .  
  
Anastasia looked at the scene speechless. Letty had come back watching the TV angry. She glanced then at Dom, he was staring her serious and indecipherable for a while, like he was thinking to something than he came back watching the TV too.  
  
  
  
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	4. ch04

CH.4  
  
It was already a week that she was working for the Toretto's. In the morning at the bar, in the afternoon she went to the garage cleaning. She liked the work at the bar. Mia came later in the morning because she finally had the time to study and Anastasia had no problem with it, also because, no one came!  
  
"Hy Anastasia!" said Mia coming in with some books under her arm followed by Bryan.  
  
"Bryan. Mia. How's the study?" asked Annie.  
  
"Don't talk me about it! There are all that Latin terms here and I don't understand them all!" said the girl sadly.  
  
Annie smiled. "Need an help?". "You know about medicine?" asked surprised Mia.  
  
"No, no! But I do know Latin and maybe I can help you" explained Annie.  
  
Mia smiled happily: "Ok!" she opened the book and started to ask her lot of terms. Annie translated her most of them.  
  
"Wow! You're great! You know all the meanings!" said Mia after a while astonished.  
  
"Where did you learn this?" asked Bryan eating his tuna sandwich. Anastasia looked immediately uneasy, she didn't want to answer.  
  
"C'mon! You can try to hide yourself from Dom, but I've been a cop, and I do know when there's something else behind" said Bryan stopping to eat and staring her. "You're educated, you talk very well." he added. Mia looked at her with a questioning look.  
  
She looked at them undecided, then sighed deeply. "Ok. But this will remain between us, you promise!" said Annie. They nodded silently.  
  
"My father is English, as you already know. My mother is Italian. What you don't know, is that he's one of the most important diplomatic appointment to the English embassy in Italy. I studied to become a diplomatic, since I was 13 years old as well as my dad. The car is a gift of my family. I'm here in US because we quarrelled about my future, so I told to my father, I would have taken some time to take decision for my life". She breathed remembering their talk, it hadn't been easy. "He gave me some money, allowed to take the car with me and here I am, proving myself that I worth something." She breathed remembering all the scene then, continued: "My dad has a work and a marriage for me, for when I'll be back" she shook her head sadly.  
  
"And you want all that?" asked Bryan. Annie shook slowly her head.  
  
"You couldn't simply say no?" asked Mia.  
  
Annie shook her head sadly again.  
  
"You love that man?" asked softly Mia.  
  
"I know him and I hate him. He'll marry me only because of my position" she explained, her gaze lost in the emptiness. Lost in her thoughts. "I'm like an object . . . " she ended thoughtfully taking a deep breath. An heavy silence invaded the bar.  
  
"Why you didn't want us to know" asked suddenly Bryan.  
  
"Because I didn't know if you would have accepted me however. This team looked so close in itself and I really wanted to be part of it." explained Annie.  
  
"Please, promise me you won't tell this to anyone. This is a secret" said Annie to both of them.  
  
"Don't worry, we'll say nothing" said Bryan. Mia nodded.  
  
"You'll say nothing about what?" asked Dom very calm, entering in that moment in the shop. He looked tired he'd had to work hard that morning. Annie looked worried to Bryan. A silent pray in her eyes, to not tell the truth. "Well,.nothing important" tried to say nonchalantly Bryan.  
  
"If it's nothing important, you sure can tell me" insisted Dom watching alternatively the three guys immediately suspicious.  
  
"Ok, here it is. I asked to Mia to make some changes inside the shop, just to increase the number of costumers" said promptly Annie trying to be as much convincible as possible. But it was true after all. She'd thought to this and wanted already to talk about that with Mia. "She told me that you wouldn't have liked this, so I definitely decided not to tell you" said Annie shrugging. "But since I'm here and you discovered me, I'm asking directly to you: shall I do those little changes to the shop?" she asked him. "It's a good idea" said Mia.  
  
"No. I don't want to spend more on this" said Dom taking a beer.  
  
"But we wouldn't have to spend a lot! Just little changes like flowers on the tables or something else to eat after tuna" tried to say Annie, more convinced now. "No" repeated stubborn Dom.  
  
"But why?" she insisted. Dom looked at her with a warning look, which meant - do not continue-. She snorted frustrated.  
  
"Why not? She looks to be determined, you don't know, maybe it should work." said Bryan calmly.  
  
"No. And this is my last word on this. Don't want to talk no more about that" he said firmly.  
  
"Stubborn!" said Annie angry. "You shut up and continue what you were doing!" said Dom indicating the bar. "But don't you see? This is the problem! There's nothing to do because no one comes in!" Said Annie exasperated. But he wasn't no more listening to her. He'd turned, sit and was looking at a newspaper, drinking his beer. She snorted and came back cleaning the counter. Bryan and Mia smiled to each other. In that moment the rest of the team came in.  
  
Anastasia breathed silently and lowered her eyes. Letty and Vince were coming in. Two of her problems. Letty hadn't still accepted her and treated her very coldly, and when Dom wasn't there she was even rude. Vince instead, was even too gently. Mia had warned her from him, but even if she did nothing to encourage him, he was around her like a bee with honey.  
  
"Hy Mia, Annie" said Vince with a kind of sweet tone. Letty passed and said nothing to them. Two men followed them.  
  
"Henry" greeted Vince who saw them at first.  
  
"Vince" said the man "We're here for Dom".  
  
"Dom!" called out loudly Vince "It's for you". Dom arrived.  
  
"We're out there" said Vince and with the rest of the team got out of the bar except for Anastasia who was still bent on her knees back of the counter working reordering the freezers and Bryan who remained drinking something leaned on the counter.  
  
"Yo man!" said Henry.  
  
"Henry" Dom nodded as to greet the man "Got the parts?" asked Dom directly.  
  
"I took you here the man who got them" said Henry "His name is Vincent" he continued "He's French and doesn't speak English, so I'll translate for him" ended Henry. "Ok" said Dom "let's sit down and talk" said Dom sitting on a table with the two men.  
  
"How many parts he got?" asked Dom to Henry. "Combien de pieces tu as" translated Henry to Vincent.  
  
"Dix" answered the man. "He said he got five" translated Henry.  
  
Annie raised her head up suddenly astonished from the back of the counter. She'd heard what they were saying and noticed the mistake of Henry. Dom nodded.  
  
"Are they original" asked Dom. "Sont ils tous originels?" Henry translated.  
  
« Pas tous » Vincent said. « Yes » translated Henry.  
  
Annie frowned. So, it wasn't a mistake; he was doing it on purpose. Was it possible?  
  
"How much" asked Dom. "Combien" translated Henry.  
  
" deux mille cinq chaqu'un" Vincent said. « 3500$ each one » translated Henry.  
  
"Is it your good price" asked Dom with a grin. He trusted in his friend.  
  
"You know Dom, it ain't me! It depends on him" said Henry shrugging with a smile apologizing himself.  
  
That's odd! Thought Annie.  
  
"Yeah, I know." Dom smiled "Ok".  
  
Annie cleared her voice loudly but Dom didn't care. So she did it again and finally he glanced at her. "Some problems?" asked Dom to Annie. "I'd need you to help me" she said to him.  
  
"Ask to Bryan" said Dom coming.  
  
" What's the problem" asked Bryan.  
  
"Come with me" said Annie and he followed her on the backyard.  
  
"So? Need an help?" asked Bryan helpful with a smile.  
  
"Bryan, that man, is lying" said Annie serious glancing at the man outside.  
  
Bryan became serious: "You mean Vincent?"  
  
"No, I mean Henry" said Annie "You have to warn Dom".  
  
"You sure? I mean Dom trusts Henry since lot of time" warned her Bryan.  
  
Annie looked at him serious "It's true! He's translating deliberately different from what Vincent says! At the beginning I thought it was just a mistake, but. it's not only one time, he changed all!!" said Annie worried.  
  
"Ok." Said Bryan passing a hand in his hairs as to think. "You'll tell to Dom" said Bryan.  
  
"Dom?" called him Bryan.  
  
"Yeah?" replied Dom bothered to be disturbed.  
  
"We'd need your help" said Bryan.  
  
"Why don't you ask to Vince?" replied Dom irritated.  
  
"Really, Dom. We need your help" insisted Bryan staring him fixedly.  
  
Dom snorted and nodded. "Henry take a beer and also for your French friend. I'll be back in a while" said Dom and went to the back.  
  
"Hope that is something important. This is business." was saying Dom annoyed. "Annie got something important to tell you" said Bryan serious. Dom leaned with a arm against the wall nearby her. She felt more nervous now. Both Bryan and Dom's eyes were on her.  
  
"He lied you" said worried Annie finally.  
  
"Oh, come on! I know him since lot of time!" said Dom couldn't believing in what she was saying.  
  
"It's true! Listen! He's doubled the amount and also the number of the parts translating!" explained Annie. "At the beginning I thought it was a mistake, but he continued!"  
  
"How do you know that? How can you be so sure?" asked Dom frowning.  
  
"I know what I'm saying." Said Annie determined staring at him: "I speak French. If you want I'll show you!"  
  
"Don't know - " said Dom doubtfully shaking his head. "What do you think" he asked to Bryan.  
  
Bryan looked at her for a moment. "I trust her" he finally said to Dom.  
  
Dom thought still for a while, then snorted. "You sure?" Dom asked her staring seriously.  
  
"I'm certain" said Annie "He increased of 1000$ the amount" she explained: "And the parts are not all fully originals!"  
  
"Son of a bitch!" muttered Dom through his teeth and punched his fist against the wall.  
  
She started a little, by his violent reaction. He could be very scary, she thought, she wouldn't have liked to be in Henry's shoes. "After all that time-" was saying Dom "You can do better than him?" Dom asked her serious. Annie nodded determined. "We'll see. Ok, come on! Let's solve this problem" said Dom determined with a tough look and all the three came back to Henry.  
  
"Is that all right?" asked Henry frowning, watching Dom's expression and looking at Annie.  
  
"Yeah" said Dom tough.  
  
"Henry, it's how many time that we are friend?" asked Dom very quietly, but Annie knew he had to be very angry and his calm, scared her more than his fury.  
  
"Oh, Dom you know" said the man smiling " a lifetime" .  
  
"That's why" started to say Dom calmly: "I become furious when I discover that someone wants to cheat me!" ended Dom angry and without waiting, punched Henry in the face with such a strength, that the man fell on the floor.  
  
"What the fuck...!" said Henry surprised.  
  
Dom glanced at Annie. Henry frowned. She turned to Vincent: "C'est vrai que t'as ces pieces?" she asked him firmly in French. The guy hurriedly nodded worried.  
  
Meanwhile all the team had run inside. Bryan held Dom which otherwise would have beat the shit out of Henry. "Dom" said Vince, "you alright?".  
  
"Yeah" said Dom breathing hard, his eyes dark of fury "Get this shit out of my eyes" he said through his teeth .  
  
"What?" asked Vince astonished. "He's a bastard cheat" said Dom.  
  
Henry looked scared at Dom then glanced furious at Annie. "You'll pay for this!" he menaced her angrily.  
  
She shivered. "Just before, you'll have to walk on me" replied Dom toughly, but the man didn't seem too impressed and looked at her terribly.  
  
Leon and Vince took roughly Henry and threw him in the middle of the road. The French guy Vincent, who hadn't understood nothing looked terrified and trembled when Dom reached him. "Look how he shakes" said Vince laughing.  
  
"Tell him not to be scared. I won't punch him" said Dom "Unless necessary" he added with a grin. Annie smiled amused and translated to the man who nodded hurriedly. Half an hour later the French guy greeted Dom and his team satisfied. They'd closed a good affair for both of them.  
  
"Think I have to thank you" said Dom to Annie. "You're the last person I thought that could help me".  
  
Annie blushed: "So I'm not a completely disaster as you thought" said Annie raising her chin up. Dom smiled with his arrogant, charming, usual way "No, you're not" he replied shrugging not denying her words.  
  
"Maybe, one day, I'll enter in your good graces" said Annie smiling provoking.  
  
"You already are in my good graces, but you won't have the money for the bar!" said Dom with a provoking look and an amused smile, knowing already what she wanted.  
  
"Arrogant stubborn!" said Annie sullen snorting, because he'd understood what she wanted.  
  
"I like you too, sweetie" Dom teased her grinning. She took a cloth and threw against him, which avoided the hit with a swift movement and laughing joined the rest of the team outside.  
  
"Hey Dom?" said Vince after a while "We met Hector just before and it's for tonight".  
  
"Tonight what?" couldn't avoid to ask Annie.  
  
"Races" answered Mia which knew too well that world. Annie nodded.  
  
"And you'll come with us" said Dom, finally turning himself to face her.  
  
"What??" both said Annie and Letty.  
  
"Why?" said Letty astonished. "She won't race".  
  
"I don't think it's a good idea" tried to say Annie which didn't want to have more problems with Letty than what she already had.  
  
"Why you always have to challenge all my decisions?" he asked her snorting losing his patience. She was taken by surprise and looked at him speechless. "This is my decision and that's all" he said and this meant that their discussion was over.  
  
"Ok, but I'll come with my car!" she insisted.  
  
He looked irritated; girls didn't have to talk too much with him. He nodded but added: "Pay attention!" giving her a warning look.  
  
Letty angry knocked a fist on the table, stood up and went outside.  
  
"Be careful of her!" whispered Mia to Annie softly. Annie nodded, she'd had to be very careful.  
  
  
  
------------------------------------ 


	5. ch05

CH.5  
  
She was ending to clean the team's cars in the garage while Leon and Vince were fixing a car and Dom preparing his own one with a maniac attention for that night. "Ok guys, it's enough for today" said Dom coming out from under his car. Vince stood up and stretched himself.  
  
"Anastasia?" called her Jesse.  
  
"Yes?" she answered rising her head up.  
  
"Come here" said Jesse. She drew herself up and dried the sweat from her forehead. She tried to tidy her plait, unsuccessfully, she'd had to be a mess in that moment, she thought. Then joined him.  
  
"You like?" asked Jesse cleaning his hands on a cloth, gesturing with his head to her car and waiting for her reaction.  
  
She frowned and turned to look what he meant. She widened her eyes in surprise. "But you repaired it!" realised Annie smiling" Oh Jesse! Really thank you!" said very happily Anastasia watching her car repaired. It was only the bodywork but she cared so much to her car and she was so happy to watch it repaired. She softly touched it, almost afraid to ruin it. It looked new.  
  
"You couldn't come tonight with your car in such those conditions!" he said uneasy, blushing a little.  
  
"Thanks! Thank you so much!" she said and hugged Jesse affectionately.  
  
Dom turned and looked at the scene bothered. Jesse noticed it: "Ok, ok, that's all now" he said embarrassed and untied himself immediately from Annie. She giggled.  
  
Dom grunted but said nothing and with Jesse got out of the garage.  
  
Anastasia remained alone in the garage staring her car incredulous. Her precious car. Jesse had been really nice. All the guys were really nice. She caressed the plate, lost in her thoughts. She'd never met people like they were. She'd never met other people except for those chosen by her father, which were falsely kind, always hidden by a barrier of politeness. They instead were true. Sometimes even rough, but their feeling were true. With all their good and bad points. She admired that. She would have really wanted to be part of that team. Lost in her thoughts, she hadn't hear those steps approaching, so when a hand posed on her shoulder she started in surprise.  
  
"Are you all right?"  
  
"Vince!" she noticed "You scared me! I haven't heard you!" she said smiling nervous. He posed his arm on her shoulder and pulled her near to him.  
  
"What were you doing" he said watching her car.  
  
Annie felt uneasy like that but didn't show it. She'd had to be careful. She looked around. No one, she was alone. "I was just watching my car, Jesse has done a great job" said Annie trying to look calm.  
  
"Yeah" said Vince sliding his arm around her waist and pulling her more against him. She tried nonchalantly to free herself from his hold but he tightened it.  
  
"How are you?" insisted Vince. She noticed now that he smelt of beer.  
  
"Fine" said Annie through her teeth, showing her effort to unfasten herself from him. "Vince, listen - " she tried to say.  
  
"Don't be so precious Annie . . . " he said with an encouraging tone, holding her with both arms and pressing her against his chest. He was much stronger than she was.  
  
She started to be worried now. "The others are waiting us" tried to say Annie as to lead him back to reason.  
  
"Let them wait . . . " he replied not caring at all.  
  
Damn! She would have wanted to shout, but he was holding her so tight that she could barely breath. "Vince - really - I don't think, this is a good idea . . . " said Annie with more difficulties, pushing against his chest unsuccessfully. Breathing was becoming even harder.  
  
"I find this one a really good idea instead" he insisted, bending down, wanting to kiss her.  
  
"Vince.Please! No!" she struggled with all the force she had but she could nothing because he kissed her however.  
  
"Leave me!" she said when he detached from her to breath "please!" she was begging him scared.  
  
"Vince!" a deep male voice came severe almost an order, from the back of her shoulder.  
  
She couldn't check who it was but recognised it: Dom! Finally! "Oh, - ehm, - Dom!" said embarrassed Vince freeing Annie immediately, which was almost going to fall, but fortunately leaned against her car.  
  
"Letty needs your help outside. Better you go. Now!" said Dom. There was no kindness in his voice, he was tough, his gaze cold as ice. Incredibly, the big Vince, looked now very submissive, almost scared by Dom's tone. He immediately obeyed, walking fast outside the garage.  
  
Annie breathed hard, not knowing if she was more scared for what had happened or Vince reaction. Now they were alone and Dom looked at her, frowning. She immediately felt uneasy, conscious of his presence, his gaze on her. "You all right?" he asked her.  
  
"Yes . . . I suppose" she softly said lowering her eyes down shamed.  
  
"I, . . . I got to go now, thank you for you help" she said and tried to exit avoiding his look but he stopped her, grabbing her arm. "Then I would be very pleased, if you could avoid to seduce my mechanics" he sharply said.  
  
She slowly turned her head watching him astonished. "What? Please?" she asked frowning spelling astonished.  
  
"You heard me" he said flat.  
  
"You're kidding me, right?" she said in a warning tone freeing herself and facing him toughly.  
  
"I'm serious" he replied coldly.  
  
"Fuck you!" she angrily replied.  
  
He didn't look intimidated or surprised by her tone "Maybe you did it on purpose. Maybe you wanted to be seduced by Vince . . . " he calmly said following his line of reasoning.  
  
She stared at him "But what a bastard, chauvinist male!" she angry replied in disbelief "You really think I'm using some kind of -art- to seduce your mechanics?"  
  
He approached dangerously to her not caring at all to what she'd said "Or maybe . . . you were doing this . . . for me".  
  
She was slowly stepping back while she felt her car against her back. She was blocked. His eyes looked at her dangerously. "So?" he insisted. His lips bent on a dangerous grin.  
  
She didn't answer, not looked at him but just tried to maintain her coldness and determined tried to pass him, but he blocked her and grasping her arm pushed her against the car holding her arms. She lifted her eyes and looked worried at him. He didn't care of that, his eyes were so dark and intense. "Your way to move, to talk, to dress,..so sensual.so provoking." he whispered and slowly he leaned his head down and kissed her. At first it was a soft kiss, like he was testing her reaction, then he became more demanding, and his hand went on her chin and softly pull it down to make her lips part and slide his tongue inside exploring her, forcing her to answer to his growing passion. She didn't want to do it, she would have liked to resist, but slowly her forces, her determination was abandoning her, her mind didn't want to collaborate and she opened her mouth and answered first shyly then with more transport to his kiss.  
  
His cell phone started to ring, but they didn't stop, it was like if they were in a trance, until that persistent sound became unbearable. He detached from her abruptly still holding her arms and stared at her panting hard, he'd lost his control as well as her. He frowned irritated to his reaction, than left her, took the phone and answered with a quiet tone, like if nothing had happened and walked out, living her alone and confused in the garage.  
  
  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
That Night.  
  
Six cars ran out in the dark night. They joined a deserted street in a loney industrial wasteland on the outskirts of Los Angeles. The air was filled with the sound of turbo-charged horsepower, coming from under the hoods of dozens of colourful Japanese and German subcompacts and sports cars which were into a small street and music and a colourful crowd reunited there. Kind of a big street party.  
  
The cars turned into that street . The first to arrive was Dom. Then all the others. The crowd opened at the roaring of his red Mazda. Anastasia was the last one. Her car was the most simple one compared to the others but she didn't care of that, too thrilled of being there. She wasn't going to race, even if she would have liked, she realised, surprised with herself.  
  
She looked around once more. It was the second time that she went on a meeting of street racers but, she was still astonished : all that cars were beautiful. She scanned the crowd and found Dom surrounded by lot of guys. He was discussing with them. They looked at him admired and very respectful. He seemed to be very famous there.  
  
Since he couldn't see her, she leaned against her car arm crossed on her chest and took her time to observe him truly, maybe for her first time: tall, muscled, he got something like a magnetic aura and everybody, for a reason or another felt attracted by him. Like gravity. Even herself, she felt attracted by him. His way to walk, to look, to talk, his voice. He was sexy, she realised admiring him and smiled to herself. When suddenly, like he'd felt something, he turned his head and looked toward her meeting her eyes fixing him. As he knew already what she was thinking he stared at her and grinned in an arrogant, conspiratorial way back at her. She blushed of shame because she'd been discovered and immediately looked away. Damn! Sure he'd understood what I was thinking. I'd been stared at him like a stupid teenager in love for the first time, for her hero! You stupid Anastasia! She thought.  
  
"Annie? Why you stay here alone? Come!" said Vince and without waiting her answer, pushed her toward Dom's group. Perfect! How embarrassing ! She was going to play the fool, she thought.  
  
"Hey Vince!" said a man when they joined them.  
  
"Yo Hector!" replied Vince.  
  
"Who's she? Your chick?" asked Hector smiling charming to Annie. She felt the eyes of all those men on her and blushed a little.  
  
Dom looked at her serious as he was checking for her reaction.  
  
"No, no! Even if I'd like!" said Vince a little embarrassed. Anastasia looked at Vince incredulous and definitely blushed violently. She'd had to be red as a tomato!  
  
"So? Who's she?" insisted Hector.  
  
"-She- is Anastasia. My name is Anastasia!" said irritated Annie shacking Hector' s hand.  
  
"It's your new purchase, Dom?" asked Hector.  
  
"Yeah" he answered thoughtfully: "she works for me" he said . Was there a second meaning to those words, or it was just her that had noticed that? He made his gaze running all over her body: her tight fitting low raiders jeans her small white top covered by a fine net of the same colour. His gaze ran deliberately slowly and insolent on her bare skin, then on her breast up to her neck, then to her lips, until it joined her eyes giving her an intimate deep look. She unconsciously passed her tongue slowly on her lower lip and he followed her movement.  
  
"So you don't mind if I try with her" said Hector looking maliciously at her.  
  
"She is in -my- team" repeated Dom never leaving his gaze from her. There was a kind of indirect message in his words. Hector seemed to understand that, because he didn't insist. Annie was astonished. They were talking about her like if she wasn't there, . . . . like a piece of meat! She shook her head in disbelief.  
  
"So? What do we do tonight?" asked one of the guy breaking that moment of silence.  
  
"Race!" said Hector.  
  
"How much?" asked another black guy to Dom.  
  
"2 G's buy in. Winner takes all" answered Dom.  
  
"Ok" all the guys agreed and took their money.  
  
Annie watched at the scene silently. She smiled ironically: with all that money, she could have paid all her debt to Dom. She shook her head: what are you thinking? She asked mentally to herself.  
  
"Hector you take the money" said Dom.  
  
"Why Hector?" one of the guy asked. "Because he's too slow to make it away with the money!" said another one and Hector gave him an annoyed look, and all laughed to that.  
  
"Ok. Let's go. Good luck everybody" said Dom accentuating his words with the gesture of his arm. In a while all the people were on their car, starting to move. Annie looked around a little bit lost.  
  
Mia saw her "Annie!"  
  
"Where do they go?" asked Annie louder because of the increasing noise of all those engines starting.  
  
"Follow me" replied Mia.  
  
Mia drove her to the arrival point. "We won't see the race like this" said Annie.  
  
"It's pointless" said Letty who had joined them. Annie didn't understand , but remained silent.  
  
The race was fast and Dom blew everyone away crossing the line first. After a long while the others arrived. When he got out of the car an happily crowd surrounded him giving tribute for his performance. Now she understood why all respected him so much. He was very good. Annie looked at him admired. He'd gained her respect. On the street he was someone. All the guys paid Dom which gave the money to Mia and they were still talking happily about the race when someone started to shout "Cops, cops, cops!"  
  
In a while all the people were in their cars driving fast away, each one in a different direction. Annie was lost. She'd never done that before and didn't know LA at all. She fast jumped on her car and started to move. She recognised Dom's car moving and decided to follow. It wasn't easy to stay back to him, because he was very fast and drove very sure of himself through the street of LA not caring at all about the traffic, for a moment she even thought she'd lost him, but then he turned, found a garage and entered it. She followed him and when she turned, he was no more there. She slowed down and looked around. It was not possible. She'd stayed behind him until that moment, and now? Where was he?  
  
She turned around the block, hearing the police sirens approaching. She had to find him immediately before it was too late. Suddenly she saw him walking on the road. She drove her car nearby him. He glanced at her worried, then recognised the car astonished. "Get in! Cops are coming!" she shouted him.  
  
Sirens were very near now. He didn't wait and jumped in the car.  
  
"Go, go, go!" he cried worried.  
  
"No! Too late!" she said hearing the cops car too near. "Stay down!" she ordered and pushed him on her lap.  
  
The police car turned the corner, slowed down to check who was at the drive, but she was going very slowly and careful and looked the more quiet and indifferent she could, so they decided to not take care of her and continued their run.  
  
After they turned she said "You can raise up". He regained his position and looked around. He looked at her for a while, frowning, then back to the street.  
  
"Thanks" he whispered through his teeth. She couldn't believe to her ears.  
  
"I would have been lost without you" she found herself reply. In all senses she thought. He glanced at her for a while then, back to the street again.  
  
"Maybe we should teach you two, three things about cars and driving fast. You never know" said Dom most to himself as he was thinking at loud voice.  
  
"Maybe . . . " she repeated never taking her eyes off the street. She drove very calmly. She stopped her car at the traffic light.  
  
"Shit!" she looked on the rear view mirror.  
  
"What?" asked Dom frowning and trying to turn.  
  
"No! Don't do it! Stay down! Cops!" she told him worried.  
  
A police car was approaching near to her car at the traffic light. Dom laid down on her lap. Even if she was worried she couldn't restrain a smile: the scene was comical.  
  
She tried to look very calm. " 'evening" said the young policeman to Annie . She nodded in reply and smiled.  
  
"Nice car" insisted the man with a smile.  
  
"Thank you" she replied gently to the man with a smile.  
  
"Do not flirtate even now with him. Greet him and stop!" whispered Dom from his position.  
  
She gave him with nonchalance a gentle slap on his head "Shut up!" she muttered through her teeth continuing to smile to the policeman.  
  
"You should fasten your seat belt!" the guy told her.  
  
"Oh, yes! I'm sorry. I forgot it!" she apologized and immediately fastened her seat belt. Dom helped her.  
  
He smiled. It was funny, but he liked being there, like this: watching her abds, her breast going up and down. Nice panorama he thought.  
  
"Have a nice evening and drive safe!" greeted her the policeman once the traffic light turned green.  
  
"Thank you!" said Annie and greeted him back with a smile.  
  
"They are gone?" asked Dom.  
  
"They are toward me, if you raise up, they'll see you" she warned him, continuing to drive very calmly.  
  
  
  
"You smell good" he said after a while.  
  
"I think you like more than expected to be like this" she said ironically.  
  
"Nice panorama" he replied grinning.  
  
"Enjoy it all now, until you can. You won't see it again!" she teased him ironic.  
  
He grinned and moved one finger following the line of her abds. She shivered, his touch was so sexy and delicate. She held her breath and contracted her muscles. He smiled: she reacted immediately under his touch .  
  
"Why girls should put a brilliant on their navel?" asked Dom touching the precious stone.  
  
"To please men?" she replied with a bit of irony. Dom smiled and caressed her abds.  
  
She turned on a new street. She didn't know where she was going, just following the traffic trying to concentrate on what she was doing but it was hard under Dom's attentions.  
  
"You can raise up now" she told him.  
  
"Don't know if I want" said Dom in a mischievous tone. She glanced at him with a warning look, but then she couldn't restrain a grin.  
  
He sit down again. "Let's go home" he finally said and told her where to go.  
  
They joined his house and walked in. Inside, all they were doing different things. Dom looked angry at that. The atmosphere of before was forgotten. Annie decided to remain in a corner. The first to join Dom was Bryan: he knew him too well.  
  
"Sorry Dom. Me and Mia have been stopped by the cops and they controlled us and our documents and all- Otherwise, you know . . . " he was really sad about that.  
  
Dom nodded "you and Mia, ok?" asked Dom.  
  
"Yeah. They found nothing on us" ended Bryan.  
  
But Dom was still angry with the rest of his team. "And you guys?" yelled Dom not caring to hide his anger. They looked at him silent. They knew their mistake.  
  
"C'mon Dom, you know, there were cops all around us!" started to say Vince.  
  
"You shut up!" he yelled against him.  
  
"And you snowman? How did you run away?" Letty asked angry and sarcastic to Annie. She was going to reply when- "-The snowman-, came to help me! She brought me to the base, she's been the lonely from what I see!" Dom answered toughly to Letty.  
  
"This buster helped you? And for what?" asked sarcastic Letty "C'mon! She even doesn't know how to drive!" said sarcastic Letty.  
  
"-Unlike you-, she used her brain! And took me here" yelled Dom. He was very angry.  
  
"You helped him? Strangely, everybody ran away and you were there . . . " insisted Letty with an accusing tone to Annie.  
  
"Listen, I don't know why you have it in for me, but I think you crossed the line. Are you accusing me about what? Don't discharge your feelings of guilt on me!" said Annie reacting to Letty' s provocations. "Mmh, -the innocent- is a chatterbox . . . shut up and go cooking for something!" Letty said waving annoyed her hands and turning to look at Dom.  
  
"Uh!uh!" the guys replied.  
  
"I'm sorry. You haven't said -please-" Annie replied fed up of Letty' s way to be. Letty with a swift move turned and punched her in the face. She staggered and fell to the floor heavily. "That's your place!" was Letty' s reply.  
  
Annie lost her control, and suddenly she stood up and jumped against Letty. They started to fight shouting and scratching. Annie sure took more than what she was able to give, but she didn't give up.  
  
Dom looked at the scene frowning. "Hey Dom, I've never had two girls fighting like that for me!" said Vince laughing and drinking his beer. The rest of the guys were shouting, cheering Annie and Letty.  
  
"Dom, would you like to do something?" said angry Mia, gesturing with her head at the scene it was happening under her eyes.  
  
"Bryan!" Dom called quiet his friend and both intervened to separate the girls.  
  
Dom took Letty which was still trying to kick Annie. "Oh? Oh! You Stop!!" cried Dom. Bryan took Annie which was tired and in very bad conditions. She looked surly to Letty. She too had made her some -damages-. Letty was bleeding from her mouth and scratched on her face as well as on her arms. Both panted hard.  
  
"This is the first and last time I tell you: I don't want to see this again, is that clear?" Dom angry yelled them. Annie and Letty looked at each other still defiantly and angry. "Clear?" repeated Dom again with a warning, intimidating look to both of them.  
  
Both the girls finally nodded. "C'mon, let's put some ice on your eye" said gently Bryan driving Annie to the kitchen.  
  
"Uh!" she started, when he put the ice on her eye.  
  
Bryan smiled: "You're brave. You know she's a very good fighter".  
  
"I don't know, why I did it. I'm a stupid, I usually don't do that." She said shacking her head.  
  
"Don't blame yourself too much, it's not all your fault. She started." replied Bryan.  
  
"Truly, I'm a peaceful. I've been taught to solve everything with words and never with hands; but there's something in her, that makes me lose my control" said Annie trying to explain her reaction.  
  
"Letty might be very unbearable" said Mia coming into the kitchen in that moment. Then she looked at Annie: "Damn, Annie! She gave you a good thrashing!" she observed her better: "It hurts?" she asked worried, sitting near her.  
  
"Yeah" Annie admitted in a whisper. She was astonished of herself. She'd never done this before. Was she the same girl that came from a catholic female school? She smiled at that thought. "I think I'll go to bed" said Annie.  
  
"Sure, you fine?" asked Mia still worried.  
  
"Yeah! Ohi!" she mourned feeling all her body in pain.  
  
"Are you ok?" insisted Bryan. "Yes, I'll survive" she smiled at him.  
  
In the living room meanwhile Vince came to Dom: "I'm sorry Dom, it won't happen no more. I promise you" and also the rest of the team agreed.  
  
"Want a massage?" Letty told him as nothing had happened before. He looked at her coldly but didn't answer. She sit on his lap and caressed him. In someway she was trying to excuse herself.  
  
Annie walked out of the kitchen to go upstairs and saw the scene. She couldn't move just watched, unable to do anything. Letty saw her and accentuated her caress, becoming more sexy and kissed Dom passionately. She knew how to seduce a man, and Dom wasn't immune to her charm. Dom lifted his eyes and met those of Annie, while Letty was practically purring on his lap. His eyes became dark, he seemed worried of her conditions. But Annie was too tired of everything. She stared at him still for a while, than shook her head saying to herself that she was a stupid, because after all, Letty was Dom's girlfriend and she had all the rights to be there with him, and she didn't have to be jealous of his attention for her.  
  
The team had started again to talk, listen music and play videogames. "You drink something Annie?" asked Jesse.  
  
"No, thank you. Think I'll go upstairs" replied Annie. She felt defeated. Letty smiled satisfied, she knew, she'd won. Dom stared at her thoughtfully while she was going upstairs.  
  
Annie was awoken by some noises. She opened her eyes and looked outside: it was still dark. She frowned and glanced at her clock: 3.00 am. Again those noises. She waited, trying to understand what it was. Again. It seemed .yeah, someone was shouting, no better, yelling. Again and louder than before. It came,. from the room next to her. Dom's one to be exact. He was quarrelling with a girl.Letty? Yes, it was her. Annie looked at the ceiling. She couldn't hear the exact words but it was very animated. Dom yelled at Letty several times, she replied furiously and it ended by the sound of slamming doors. Then, silence. She breathed deeply thinking at them. Strange love, so fought. If I ever fall in love, I'll never want to fight like that, she thought. Not knowing that destiny for her, would have had different plans.  
  
  
  
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	6. ch06

CH.6  
  
The day after.  
  
It was lunch time and she still felt her eye hurting. She had also a bad headache. She arrived at the garage with a big lunch box as usual. "Hy Annie" said Vince . She greeted him but didn't take off her sunglasses. It was not polite, but. "Annie" Leon waved his hand. She smiled him back. "Guys, here it is your lunch" announced Annie putting the lunch box on the table. "Yeah!" said Jesse and immediately came.  
  
"Here I have: shrimps cocktail, some homemade pizza, chicken salad and two cheeseburgers for you Vince" she smiled knowing his taste: "Oh! I also have strawberry salad if you want and some mint tea, all done with my own hands" she ended. "Wow, wow, wow! I love pizza!" said Jesse enthusiastic. "You spoil us" said Leon smiling, joining her and looking into the lunch box: "But it smells so damn good!" he added. Annie smiled amused . Everyday she came with something different and they liked a lot what she prepared. "You're a great cooker!" said Vince smiling and putting her hand around her waist and tightening her to him with a familiar gesture. She unfastened herself, uneasy nearby him after their last encounter.  
  
"Thought that if I appealed to your love for food maybe Dom would have made me a little discount to my debt" she said smiling. Dom appeared from the back of a car cleaning his hands. He slowly looked up and down her with a lazy look. As usual, she adjusted her dress under his gaze. He made her feel always nervous. "Yeah, you're my good cooker, but I won't make you a discount" he said smiling ironically "Where did you learn to cook like this?" he asked her interested.  
  
"Don't you know? I'm Italian. We know three things: cooking, play soccer and make love" she said teasing, looking at him and smiling. "Oh, oh, oh!" said the others all together, laughing. He smiled ironically looking mischievously at her. He liked that game. "Interesting" he said turning around her. She swallowed. Dangerous game, she thought.  
  
He looked at the lunch box, than raised his head up slowly: "How are you?" he asked with his usual direct tone. studying her and her soft short sleeveless dress with small flowers. She had bruises and scratches on her arms and on her face and she wore very dark sunglasses. "Fine" she replied feeling uneasy. It was always like that, when he looked at her in that way. "Where is Letty" asked Annie looking around . "She's gone paying some bills" answered Bryan. "Annie?" called her Dom: "Could you help me take some beers?" he asked her, motioning to come. She followed him backyard the garage to a freezer.  
  
"Show me your eyes" he suddenly asked her. "W-what?" she frowned surprised. "Here" and before she could say anything he took her sunglasses and lifted them up. "N- no!" she tried to protest, but too late. Her eye was a rainbow of colors from blue to violet and from green to yellow, taking part of the jaw. She looked away from him, couldn't standing no more to his attentive look. "Fuck" he whispered moving softly his finger on her eyes making her starting a little.  
  
"Seems that your girlfriend knows how to fight" she said ironically. "She's exaggerated" said Dom seriously. "Both of us" replied Annie. "No, she had more responsibilities, since she'd started" he insisted. "She was marking her property" replied Annie, justifying Letty for someway. "I'm property of no one except for myself" he seriously replied. She looked at him. He seemed seriously worried for her. "It's nothing, just bruise. Nothing." She repeated to reassure him. "It's the first time that two girls fight for me" he suddenly said grinning ironically.  
  
"Always the same usual arrogant, aren't you?" she replied using the same tone raising her chin up, with a defiant look. "You know, you talk too much!" he softly said. But he wasn't offended, on the contrary he grinned amused. C'mon Annie! Go! Go away! She said to herself. You have to go! You have to. too late. He was already bending on her and holding her face with his hand and kissed her delicately, like he was afraid to hurt her, so sweet that she shivered, then he pressed a little more to deepen his kiss, while his fingers caressed her chin and down to her neck, she grabbed to his arms, as her legs couldn't no more support her. It was all so beautiful and magic that they forgot everything around them. "Dom? Dom, you arrive?" someone shouted from the garage.  
  
He left her abruptly. Both panting hard. He said nothing, just stared at her, lost in her eyes, as he was searching for an answer then he took the beers and left her alone there. She leaned against the freezer's door, twinkling her eyes, trying to regain her self control, still not believing in what had happened. Was it possible that she was always lost when she was in his arms? She waited a little then joined the rest of the team.  
  
They were eating silently. "So? How do you feel today?" Leon suddenly asked her. "It could be better" replied Annie vaguely. "Letty is a very tough one!" said Jesse: "But you! Wow! You're brave!" "Or just stupid" recognized Annie. "Nooo, you lack only in experience" said Leon. Annie nodded doubtfully. "Maybe you could teach me two, three things about fighting." dared to say Annie after a while to the group. Dom grinned ironically while eating but said nothing. "Why?" asked Jesse: " You want to revenge of last night?" he continued. "No, it's.you know , just in case of need.." simply said Annie blushing a little, lowering her eyes down embarrassed.  
  
"Ok" said Bryan standing up and cleaning his hands on his pants. "But you have to take off your sunglasses" he ended. She waited for a while as thinking if it was a good idea or not. Dom observed her curious. Than she took them off.  
  
"Oh, shit!" said Jesse. "Hell!" said Leon. All were astonished and worried for her eye. "Ok, let's go" said Bryan after a moment of surprise: "Hit me!" "What?" she asked embarrassed frowning. "You told me, you want to learn about that, so come on! Hit me!" he encouraged her. "Ok" she said hesitantly. And she gave him a light punch against his arm. The others laughed softly. It was a funny show. She looked at them irritated and they stopped.  
  
"What was that?" asked Bryan. "Listen. Ok, it has been a bad idea. Forget it. I cannot fight against you. You're my friend" said Annie embarrassed. "No! no, come on! Try again!" he insisted. She snorted and tried stronger. All the guys chuckled again.  
  
"It's the position. You got the wrong one!" Dom spoke after having watched the whole scene amused. He stood up and joined them. "You have to use all your arm and move your body toward the direction of your punch!" he told her. "Like this" and he placed himself behind her, placing her arm in the right way and showing her the movements. It was funny/sensual what they were doing thought Annie. She could smell his male scent of oil, sweat and his after shave all mixed up. She could feel his imposing body against her back. "You understand?" Dom was ending to say. "Yep" she replied. "So try now" he said making a step back to see her. She tried again against Bryan but without strength.  
  
"C'mon! Stronger than that!" Bryan encouraged her. "I.I'm not able, I really can't" she said blushing . What a bad idea I've had! "Ok. It's because of you Mr. Arizona, you're a too nice guy" said Dom ironic. All the other guys laughed out loud.  
  
"Try against me" suddenly proposed Dom with an arrogant smile defiantly. His eyes shone mischievously. She looked astonished to him, than slowly her lips bent in a grin. "C'mon. It's your moment" his voice was seductive and defiant at the same time. He was teasing her. It was a game. A sexy one, with a double meaning in it. A reference to something that only Dom and Annie could know.  
  
"Try to look at me as a kind of an arrogant asshole" he teased her smiling. He knew he was provoking her and liked it a lot. "I know, it's hard for you but.try" he insisted, seductively. She smiled again and without waiting she punched him. Strongly. "Good! That's my girl!" said Dom amused. The guys chuckled amused and looked very interested. Obviously she hadn't absolutely hurt Dom, but she had tried. "See Bryan? It's all about motivation" said Dom smiling without stopping to stare at her, provoking her more. The other guys laughed but she didn't care. She liked that game and yes, she'd wanted to make him leave his ironic smile from his face.  
  
She punched him again. "C'mon! Again!" he encouraged her.  
  
Now all the other guys encouraged Annie. She prepared her fist, she wanted to give him a very good one, she decided. He stared at her defiantly his eyes glimmering of interest. Annie punched him with all her strength but with a swift move he parried the blow with his big right hand, grabbing her fist and making her arm twisting on her back and holding her tightly with his other arm around her waist, against his body. All the guys laughed out loud and came back to eat. The game was over.  
  
She tried to react but he held her firmly. "Always be aware to the counterattack of your enemy" he said loudly as he was explaining it to the rest of his team. "Yeah!" they said still laughing.  
  
She tried to free herself but he still held her, than his mouth came near to her ear: "Love when you look at me like that" he whispered her mischievously, teasing her, in a tone that only Annie could hear. She shivered because of that intimate and sexy moment, blushed and with a strong tug, she freed herself, but only because he'd left her. She looked at him defiantly. She was breathing hard.  
  
"So? Was it useful?" he asked her in an ironic tone and a smile of victory on his face.  
  
"A lot" she said through her teeth, adjusting her dress and wearing her sunglasses again.  
  
In that moment Letty came back." Yo, guys, I'm back!.oh!" said Letty seeing Annie and becoming suddenly serious. She didn't like what she saw. All the guys stopped to laugh. Tension filled the air. Annie and Letty weighed each other with their look.  
  
"Gotta go know" said Annie seriously and tacking all her stuff, went away.  
  
  
  
------------------------------------ 


	7. ch07

CH.7  
  
One week passed since that day. It was afternoon and the Toretto's store was full of people. Mia and Annie ran here and there to serve all the clients. Annie had kept little changes to the store and now people came. "I still can't believe to al this" said Mia watching, in a brief moment of relax, at her bar finally livened.  
  
"Yeah, it's great" Annie agreed with her friend: "it wasn't too difficult. Little changes like, some music and some advertisings", she was satisfied of what she was seeing.  
  
"It's a pity that Dom cannot appreciate all that, he's such a stubborn!" said Mia.  
  
"When he'll see the profits, he won't reply" said Annie. Because this was her plan, her big surprise for Dom. Gain a lot and then, tell him about all that. He surely would have been happy, she thought. It hadn't been difficult to keep the secret; he worked all the day at the garage and Mia and Annie joined the team directly at home, at evening. She risked nothing, thought Annie. But, she was wrong.  
  
She was preparing a sandwich, when someone came in approaching to the counter. She just gave him a sideway look. "I'm here to you in a while" she said gently not lifting her head up. Once she ended: "Yes, shall I help . . . you" she ended her last words in a whisper, speechless because of what she's seen.  
  
"Definitely yes" said Dom looking tough to Annie. She gulped.  
  
"Dom please, we have-" tried to say Mia.  
  
"Please." he stopped her sister: "who got the idea of all that?" he asked gesturing at the bar.  
  
"Listen, Dom-" tried again to say Mia. "No, Mia please" said Annie stopping her. "I did all. I'm the unique responsible" said Annie staring courageously at his eyes.  
  
He looked at her severe, almost angry. "Why this doesn't surprise me at all" he said snorting tilting his head on one side. "Come to my office" he paused "Now" in a tone that didn't admit reply.  
  
"Annie,-" said Mia worried for her friend, knowing Dom very well.  
  
"It's gonna be all right. He cannot eat me" said Annie trying to smile reluctantly, as to calm down Mia, but she wasn't too sure of that. She knew she'd gone against Dom decisions and now she wasn't no more sure that he would have understood all her work. She sighed, straightening up her shoulders and joined Dom in his office.  
  
What he called "office" was a table with a bench, protected by an iron grating, but it was secluded on one side. She joined him and closed the "door". He was seated, looking at the store thoughtfully. She was a little bit afraid of his possible reaction. "Sit down" he ordered her. And she did it silently.  
  
"I don't know if you're more brave or stupid" he said toughly lifting his head up and finally meeting her gaze.  
  
She didn't reply just wait. "Thought I've been clear: No changes" he continued serious.  
  
She throw an envelope on the table. He furrowed his eyebrows and looked at her questioning. "Open it" she simply said. He looked at the envelope and opened it. There was a quiet good amount of money.  
  
"They are 1000$. It's the profit of this last three days" she explained him.  
  
He looked at the notes. "You hadn't to do it" he told her.  
  
She rolled her eyes. "Please!" she tried to say.  
  
He gave her a warning look. "Where did you take the money for all this?" he asked .  
  
"I used my money. I anticipated 100$ and before you ask me: Yes, I had the idea. Mia isn't responsible. She says you're impossible and I'm starting to think she's right"  
  
"Watch your mouth" he grunted "Don't think I'm a stupid. You spent more. Where have you found all this?" he asked her.  
  
"The music is from Mia's radio. The blue light you see, we've taken from Mia's car and adapted for the store. I prepare the food. At the beginning I used some food from your kitchen, then with the first money we bought it. There you can find enough money to pay back all the things I took." She paused "I made some advertisings. I've been on an internet point and created some advertising leaflets and put them here and there. And.this is the result" she ended in one go waiting nervous for his reaction. "Count'em they are all. You can verify" she added.  
  
He looked at the notes again and made them rustle in his hands thoughtfully. "You've still broke my rules" he insisted but this time more calmly.  
  
"Is it possible that you're so stubborn?" she suddenly said loosing her patience. "Look around you! It works and people do like it!" she said in a louder tone.  
  
"Low your voice" he told her motioning with his hand. Some people had turned their head and looked curious toward them.  
  
He looked thoughtfully at her. "Why you did it?" he insisted shacking his head.  
  
"For Mia. She's been very kind with me" explained Annie.  
  
"So, I haven't been kind with you"  
  
"I didn't say that"  
  
"But you think" he insisted, with a small irony in his tone.  
  
"Well, . . . let's say that, she treats me better than you do" she admitted with a grin.  
  
"So I treat you badly" he said. It wasn't a question but an observation.  
  
The situation had changed now. He looked at her in a strange way, she didn't know, but she felt something to her stomach. She slowly nodded and swallowed. He was mesmerizing. Then suddenly he changed. He shook his head gaining again that coldness, that distance which usually was between them.  
  
"I'll give you a chance" he said " One month. You'll have to gain at least 8000$. If you're able to do everything and gain the amount, you'll can go on like this" he ended. "Oh, obviously Mia will have to continue her study meanwhile" he added.  
  
"Nothing else" she asked sarcastic.  
  
"I'm serious" he warned her.  
  
Annie looked at him for a long moment. "Otherwise?" she wanted to know.  
  
"This will stop"  
  
"Are you proposing me a deal?"  
  
He nodded. "Is it enough reasonable?"  
  
"It's a fair amount" she made him notice.  
  
"You're in, you're out, what you do?" he briefly asked her, with a provoking tone.  
  
She thought for a long while, than looked at him: "I'm in."  
  
"Done" he said and they shook their hands.  
  
"Now. Could you bring me a beer?" he asked her in an emphasized polite tone, grinning at her.  
  
"Yes Sir" she replied using the same tone and smiling him back.  
  
  
  
----------------------------  
  
"So? How was it?" asked Mia to Annie trying to look more quiet than what she really was, once Annie was back. "Mmh, still don't know" replied Annie doubtfully. "Could you be more clear?" asked Mia impatient. "We've got a deal. We'll have to make 8.000$ in a month with the shop, both of us not facing up our obligations" explained Annie. "What???" asked Mia widening her eyes. "If we're be able to do it, we'll keep all like this. If we lose." she didn't end, it wasn't necessary. " What a asshole!" said angry Mia loosing her control. "We have to work a lot and.be a little lucky!" said Annie shrugging with a little smile. "It's not possible he does me that! I'll talk to him" said Mia and without waiting went to Dom. Annie came back working, because some new costumers had just come in.  
  
Mia entered to Dom's "office" like a fury: "So, come on! Tell me! Why are you doing me this?" yelled Mia directly. "Me? Doing what?" Dom said very calmly as he didn't understand and raising his eyes up to those of Mia. "Don't play with me Dom! You know what I mean! So why?" asked Mia again, her hands on her waist, aggressive. "I bet you're talking about the shop. So what is the problem?" asked Dom still very quietly. "Who you want to punish for this? Me? Annie? Why?" insisted Mia. "Don't be silly, I've nothing against you! You know I'm fonding of you!" said Dom.  
  
"So it's about Annie." Said Mia trying to calm her down : "Why? What has she done? Why are you torturing her? " asked Mia. "She doesn't listen to me, doesn't respect the rules. She's a rebel." Said Dom simply. "And because of this, you want to punish her? Because she's not afraid of you and doesn't obey silently to your orders? Is that?" asked Mia. "She said that, the bar like this works much more than before. Perfect. So prove me that. If it's true what she'd said, it will not be too difficult to make that money in a month" simply explained Dom very quietly. "Can't believe you're doing this to her! She's such a lovely person." said Mia astonished. "She's strong enough to be able to honour the commitments" said Dom. "I won't let you hurt her! Fucking grow up Dom! She's a good one, not like the usual skanks you've met! For one time, I mean one time, that something good ends in your hands, don't waste it" tried to convince him, Mia. "I won't change my mind, Mia." Simply said Dom looking at his sister seriously: "So if you had something else to tell me." ended Dom. "What a bastard!" said Mia through her teeth and went away, slamming the kind of "door" of Dom's office.  
  
When she joined Annie, she was shacking of anger. "Stubborn asshole!" muttered Mia shacking her head in disbelief. "Oh, come on! Hey? We'll do it! We'll do it!" said Annie to encourage and calm down Mia hugging her. "So now, take a deep breath" said Annie: "Come on". Mia waited than followed the advice of her friend. "We can do it" repeated Annie: "Ok?" Mia stared at her silently. "Ok?" repeated Annie to convince her. Mia still stared at her hesitantly than finally nodded. "Ok." Said Mia half- smiling to Annie.  
  
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	8. ch08

CH.8  
  
Three weeks passed since that day. It was a sunny morning when Annie stopped her car at the traffic light, and breathed deeply. How many things had happened in her life during that last period. If only her father could have known. She smiled to herself. He sure wouldn't have understood. She'd met Dom and Mia and their team. She'd started to work on a bar and on a garage. She'd have never done things like that at home simply because, her family would have never allowed her to do it. She liked what she did, and she'd learned a lot. She liked the Toretto's. Well, to be honest, she liked Dom, thought Annie smiling couldn't denying no more those feelings to herself.  
  
She liked Dom: he was amazing.. tough but not bully. He was intelligent and smart even if sometimes too stubborn. She smiled again; yes. When she was nearby him she felt the beat of her heart accelerate and her knees bending. Even now that she was thinking about him, she was smiling like a stupid. "Grow up, Annie!" said Anastasia loudly to herself: "You're reacting like a teenager!" But she couldn't deny to herself that there was something special between them, a kind of a strange electricity.then when they started to talk, all ended in a quarrel. It was incredible. Anyway the problem was something else. Someone. Letty, his girlfriend. And since things were like that she would have done anything, because even if she didn't like Letty, she respected her and her relation with Dom. So, he was forbidden for her. She'd had to remember this and stay far away from them.  
  
She heard the radio playing a music she liked and pumped up the volume, when she heard a car stopping near to her one at the traffic light. She turned to see who it was. "Hy" a Chinese girl, wearing very showy, greeted her.  
  
"Hy" Annie replied.  
  
"Do I know you?" asked the Chinese girl frowning .  
  
Annie shook her head frowning "Sorry?"  
  
"Oh, yeah, now I remember! I saw you last time with the Toretto's!" realised the girl.  
  
"And you? Do I know you?" Annie asked her.  
  
"You should. I'm Tran's sister" answered the girl, proud of herself, like if it was something very important.  
  
"Oh." Said Annie remembering what the team had told her about Dom and Johnny. Stay away from him and his family.  
  
"Wanna race?" asked the girl, tightening her hold with her dark red fingernails around the wheel, making her car roaring.  
  
"I don't race" said Annie. The girl looked sceptic. "And anyway I don't think, it'd be a good idea" added Annie. Why I said that?  
  
"You're new, aren't you?" asked the girl. Annie nodded.  
  
"I'm not surprised. Like my brother says, all of the Toretto's team are good at nothing" said ironically the girl in a defiant look.  
  
"Truly?" replied Annie ironically. Calm. Stay calm. She repeated to herself.  
  
"Yeah and coward" added the girl. Annie knew, she was provoking her. She thought for a while. Race or not to race? Be intelligent, be mature. Mature..  
  
"How much?" finally said Annie.  
  
"What you want" said triumphant the girl. She'd reached her aim.  
  
Annie thought for a while. "200$ not more" said Annie.  
  
"Done" replied the girl satisfied.  
  
"At the green. Next traffic light it's a quarter mile far. It'll be our arrival" explained the girl. Annie nodded and closed the window. Both of them made their cars roaring and when the green came, both pushed on the accelerator. The tires turned wildly for the big accelerate, creating a white cloud, and the race started. Annie knew nothing about race but let her sixth sense drive her. They drove along a street that ran nearby the beach. For a good moment Annie remained nearby the girl, than the other took the lead of the race and won.  
  
Annie breathed deeply while she made her car slowed down. It was amazing. She'd never tried something like that: a pure adrenaline discharge. It had been great. It had been exciting. They both stopped at the next traffic light. The girl got a victory and satisfied smile stamped on her face: "You owe me 200$". "Come later to the Toretto's bar. I'll be there" said Annie. The girl nodded and at the green, ran away as well as Annie. What she didn't know was that there has been a witness to all this. A violet sport car had followed her. The girl seated inside, smiled satisfied and turned at the first crossroads, hiding herself into the traffic.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
  
  
Annie reached the bar. Mia was checking some bills. "How are you Mia?" said Annie coming inside.  
  
"Fine. I was just checking our situation" said Mia not leaving her eyes from the papers. Annie as well as Mia had worked harder and harder during those weeks to make the 8000$ promised to Dom. They'd spent all their time there.  
  
Two tourist, a man and a lady, arrived. "You speak French?" one of them asked to Mia.  
  
"No, I'm sorry" replied Mia then she turned to Annie: "It's for you" she told her with a grin.  
  
Annie smiled and nodded. Three minutes later she was back to Mia with the order.  
  
Mia looked at her amazed: " You speak French pretty good!"  
  
Annie smiled playing down "Oh, no just two, three words.here and there" and went giving the drinks to the clients.  
  
When she came back, Mia was looking at the bills again. "So? How much we've done until today?" asked Annie.  
  
"We have 6700$" Mia told her counting the money.  
  
"But we still have to buy some other food and drinks, and pay for the publicity" added Annie.  
  
"It's been a good idea to make the advertising leaflets and put them all around LA" realised Mia.  
  
"Ok, so how much we still have to spend?" asked Annie.  
  
"1700$ with the publicity" said Mia checking out with the calculator.  
  
"So we still have to make 3000$" said Annie.  
  
"And we have one week left" added Mia thoughtfully.  
  
Annie sighed. "We've arrived until here. We have to do it" she said encouraging both of them.  
  
Mia agreed convinced: " and we have to be lucky." Annie nodded and smiled.  
  
In that moment a car stopped in front of the store. Annie recognised it immediately. It was the girl of the race. She took the money nonchalantly and went outside. After a while the car ran away and Annie came back to the shop. "I know that car" said Mia frowning.  
  
"Yeah" said Annie casually avoiding to look at her friend, and starting to clean the counter. She knew, she'd done something wrong.  
  
"Hey? I'm talking to you!" said Mia blocking Annie who finally raised her gaze meeting Mia's eyes.  
  
"It's Johnny Tran's sister" Annie admitted breathing deeply.  
  
"What she wanted from you?" asked Mia. But Annie avoided to look at her friend coming back to her work.  
  
"Annie?" but she insisted. "Ok, ok!" Annie snorted: "We raced".  
  
"You did what?" asked Mia astonished.  
  
"This morning.we raced and.I lost." Briefly explained Annie standing there silently, waiting for Mia's reaction.  
  
"How much?"  
  
"200$" "Listen, I know, I did something wrong Mia, but please! Please! Don't tell it to Dom" said Annie worried. If he'd discovered her . . . she didn't even want to think of it."Please Mia!" Annie begged her.  
  
"You know? You would be perfect for Dom. As crazy as he is!" replied Mia losing her patience: "Ok. Ok, I'll say nothing".  
  
"Thank you! Thank you so much, you're a friend!" said Annie relieved. She would have never done such a stupid thing again. Never. Never.  
  
-------------------------------  
  
"What did J.Tran sister want from us" asked Dom frowning, coming inside the bar in that moment with Letty and Leon.  
  
Annie immobilized herself terrified widening her eyes. Why was Dom there at this time in the morning? Mia looked back at her worried. "She came here . . . to drink" dared to say hesitantly Mia, but Dom looked daggers to her. It was not possible. Tran never came up there. Mia and Annie didn't talk.  
  
"I'm waiting" insisted Dom.  
  
"She came here . . .for me" finally said Annie snorting finding the courage to face him.  
  
"And why?" he asked her in a fake quiet tone but with an inquiring look. His calmness scared her more than everything.  
  
She didn't answer. She was looking to find the best words but it didn't exist. "I owed her some money" Annie said in a whisper.  
  
"Why" he repeated, his arms crossed on his chest, his eyes half closed waiting for her explanation.  
  
"We-" she gulped " we raced" she finally said in a low tone, looking down to her feet.  
  
"WHAT DID YOU DO?" Dom yelled against her completely angry.  
  
But why Dom was there at this time? This question echoed in Annie's mind. It seemed like he was expecting for something . . .  
  
"Listen." she tried shyly to reply.  
  
"You're crazy! No better you're stupid or what?" he yelled against her with more rage.  
  
"I - "  
  
"You knew the rules and you broke them again!" he looked at her threatening.  
  
"Dom - " Leon called him and glanced to the two tourists that looked worried at the scene.  
  
"Leave us alone!" yelled Dom very angry not leaving Annie's eyes. The others looked astonished at them. "Get the hell out of here all! NOW!" he repeated more loudly not taking care of those tourists that immediately ran outside.  
  
All the guys were intimidated by his tone except for Letty. She looked so sure and calm of herself. Annie frowned glancing at her so strangely calm, walking slowly outside the bar, she got a strange grin on her face. She had to know something, thought Annie. But she hadn't had the time to think of this, that they already were alone, and Dom was shouting back to her again.  
  
"I never hit a girl in my life, but you're making me dangerously cross that line!" said Dom out of himself.  
  
"Why are you so worried? I know how to drive!" counterattacked Annie.  
  
"You don't know anything!" He shouted pointing his finger toward her. She made a step back instinctively.  
  
"This is different! Don't you understand?" continued Dom.  
  
"You do this - " tried to say Annie. "I do it in particular conditions" he underlined trying to calm himself a little.  
  
"But Bryan told me - "  
  
"Let O'Connor out of this!" he said sharply.  
  
"Oh, no!" she insisted: " He told me that you did it, against a Ferrari".  
  
"But we do know how to race! It's all different! It's a different way to drive!" he was exasperated.  
  
"You took the risk not only for your life but also that one of the people around you!" he was shouting again.  
  
Annie made a step back again and discovered worried that she was against the wall. She glanced outside the shop, the others looked vanished. She frowned, then her stare came back to him. "There was no one when we raced" she dared to reply. He put his hands on the wall to both side of her face. He was very angry. She held her breath. He had tried until now to remain calm, but he was dangerously near to the edge. He raised his fist up, Annie looked scared at him. The hit started and she closed her eyes and turned her head on one side preparing herself for the pain . . . and suddenly he punched against the door which was just near by them. She started at the sound of the hit and waited a few seconds like that. Then, she slowly turned her head, opening her eyes and dared to look at him.  
  
He was panting hard trying to calm down. "You could have died, don't you understand??" his tone had changed, it was now low and concerned. He looked worried at her.  
  
She gulped. All the tension amassed until now, made her shacking badly . It was like if her legs weren't no more able to support her. "I'm sorry! I really didn't know . . . " she softly said.  
  
"Stupid girl . . . " he said grabbing her chin and kissing her with fury and passion as to free all his worry, as to punish her for what she'd done. Then he stopped abruptly leaving Annie breathless and confused.  
  
"If you wanted to race why haven't you asked me?" He asked her still upset holding gently her chin. She was mesmerized and shocked by his touch, so tender and soft after all that fury. She shivered closing her eyes.  
  
"I didn't know I wanted - until - I tried today!" she said with a little guilty grin.  
  
"You crazy, you know?" he told her with an ironic amused smile, kissing her again. When he left her, they were panting hard, his forehead leaned against her. He slowly grinned and whispered: "You truly want to race?"  
  
"Well, I think - I would try" admitted Annie softly.  
  
He stared at her. "mmh . . . maybe you're worthy" he said breathing deeply. Dom stood up and stared at her now his eyes glimmered of interest: "Ok, . . . "said Dom thoughtfully. "I'll prepare you: the car, your drive. You'll race for me. Maybe we can do some money with you" he ended with a grin.  
  
"I'll never end to pay my debt to you" she shook her head resigned thinking at loud voice.  
  
"Maybe you don't want" he told her sibylline with a smile.  
  
"Or maybe I'm really as stupid as you said and I let you play your game with me as you like" She ironically replied teasing him.  
  
"Yeah . . . maybe" he said with a mischievous look, caressing her lips with his finger. When he touched her like that, she was no more able to think. She kissed his finger. He grinned. It was a dangerous game, most because he wasn't free.  
  
"C'mon pizza girl, let's tell to the others, the great news" he suddenly said calling the rest of the team from outside. When they came back, he announced them the news. All were happy, because she had a great car and because she would have become now really part of the team. Only one of them wasn't happy at all about that: Letty. It was clear that something wasn't going like she'd expected. But she said nothing. She limited to stare at Annie coldly.  
  
All the team was talking loudly and happily about that, when Mia joined Annie: " Now, he owns you" Annie turned to look back at her friend, but she was already gone.  
  
  
  
-------------------------------------------------- 


	9. ch09

CH.9 - The Party -  
  
  
  
That night they all went again to race. Dom had told her to watch attentively, to what could have happened, trying to study for every single movement and had put Leon nearby her to explain all. So she stayed on one side looking at Dom which was setting the rules for the race placing the money. "Ok guys, as usual, 2Gi's by in winner takes all" said Dom. They all agreed and gave the money. That night also Bryan did race.  
  
"Hy" said Hector to Annie after he'd taken the money of the bet.  
  
"Hy" replied Annie.  
  
"So you here again" he said approaching to her.  
  
"Annie, gotta go to Dom but I'll be here in a while" said Leon leaving her alone with Hector.  
  
"I work for Toretto"  
  
"Yeah, I know" said Hector looking her up and down. He liked what he saw.  
  
She recognised his look and was pleased. He sure wasn't Dom, but at least he was a free man and she couldn't cause any damages talking with him. "You come to the party later?" asked Annie.  
  
"Which one?"  
  
"The one at the Toretto's bar" she paused: "the main event of the season" she added in a fake magniloquent tone ending it with a smile. But, after all, it was true: it was the first night, they opened even if for a private party.  
  
The other guys started to move, because of the race. He stared at her for a while: "Ok, I'll be there". Then someone called him and he went away. Why had she invited him? She thought. She didn't know, maybe just to be free to talk to a guy without feeling guilty as she always felt with Dom. Hector looked like a quiet and polite guy, maybe a good one with which to talk at the party. Yes, it was a good decision thought Annie satisfied with herself. Everyone was starting to move, to join the race so she fast jumped on Mia's car.  
  
They raced and even if Bryan was a very good driver, Dom won as usual. The crowd welcomed him ecstatically like always. He took the money and gave it to Mia. Then looked at Annie as to check for her reaction. She was astonished by his skill. He was really a good one. She had to look like truly impressed by him because when he glanced at her, he raised and eyebrow and smiled at her in such a way that she felt her knees bending, her heart melting and for a while she forgot everything. They were just him and her. Then, Letty arrived throwing herself in his arms and the magical moment finished. Annie suddenly felt sad and angry with herself. All the good proposals she'd done before, had been broken in fragments. Rogue! He knew what she was feeling and took advantage of that!  
  
She looked around for Leon finding him. "So? I come with you?" she asked him lightly with a smile. Mia wasn't there and she needed a lift to go to the party.  
  
"Are you kidding me or what?" replied Leon.  
  
"Why?" asked Annie frowning.  
  
" I don't want to be killed" replied Leon ironically.  
  
"I don't understand, I'm only asking you for a lift" said Annie a bit lost. What the heck was he talking about?  
  
"Listen. I don't want to have problem. I got nothing against you in particular, but you're private property and I shouldn't even look at you. So you have to be kind enough to find someone else to go to the bar" simply explained Leon in his most gentle tone then without waiting he enlightened the engine and squealed away.  
  
Annie remained there, opened mouth, speechless watching the car going away, incredulous for what she'd just heard. "Private property?" she didn't know if she had to laugh or what. Property of whom? She didn't know.  
  
She looked around lost. That night she hadn't her car because she'd left it to the garage. She'd arrived there with Mia, but now she'd lost her and she didn't know how to come back. Suddenly a car stopped just in front of her. It was Dom's one. He looked at her up and down to her thigh-fitting jeans, her chain belt full of small medals, the small black brilliant top that barely covered her breast underlining her shapes, which gave her a more sexy look. "You get in?" he asked her from the window.  
  
"Have I choice?" she teased him ironically.  
  
"Yes, you could walk until the bar" he replied using the same tone. Annie grinned shaking her head. What a rogue! She thought and jumped in.  
  
The car was small and Dom filled all with his powerful body. The air was a mix of his perfume and the scent of the leather furnished. "Hey? I'm on the boss car. I'm flattered" she ironically said.  
  
He grinned but didn't reply. No one talked for a long moment and the atmosphere, little by little, became electric. Annie felt more and more uneasy. Maybe it should have been really better to walk until the bar, she started to think.  
  
"I saw you talking with Hector before" suddenly Dom said breaking that heavy silence.  
  
"We were just cheat chatting" she found herself explaining.  
  
"You don't know him" he made her notice quietly.  
  
"Yeah, like you at the beginning" she quietly replied smiling, like if she hadn't understood what he meant to say.  
  
"You know, you're walking on a thin edge line" he paused: " Beware" he simply told her softly, not keeping his eyes off the street. He looked upset, and Annie didn't understand the reason.  
  
"How is the work at the bar" he suddenly said dropping subject.  
  
She glanced at him a bit surprised: why was it so important for him to look gentle with her now? "It's good. We're getting well" said Annie.  
  
"Need more time?" he teased her, giving her a glance.  
  
"You'll have your money in time, as promised" she sharply said. She was tough as him and she would have proved it. Her honour was into play.  
  
"Ok" he replied looking satisfied by her answer. What he wanted? To test her out?  
  
They arrived at the bar and stopped the car. "You're doing a good job" he softly said suddenly  
  
She swiftly turned to look at him astonished. Has he said what she'd heard?  
  
He slowly turned to look at her. His eyes were deep and dark. His look mysterious. She couldn't move, feeling like a prey enchanted by the predator. She felt the beat of her heart accelerate and her mouth become dry.  
  
Suddenly someone opened the door of Dom's car. It was one of his friends. "So you're here finally!" a young guy said to Dom happily.  
  
He looked at her still for a while, with a kind of promise in his eyes, than regained his usual arrogant tough look and got off the car.  
  
Annie quick did the same trying to join Mia inside the bar, where the party had already started, while Letty crossed her way. She said nothing but her eyes were flaming of anger. She'd seen Annie arriving in Dom's car and she was naturally furious by that. But this time, Annie didn't feel guilty, she wouldn't have wanted to go with Dom. They exchanged a long defiant look, then both of them went for their way. She shook her head: stay away from Dom and Letty, she repeated to herself, they are cause of troubles. She looked around. People seemed amusing themselves . . . finally she saw Mia. "Hey? You left me there alone!" protested Annie to her friend.  
  
" Oh, you wouldn't have been for no more longer!" said Mia ironic keeping a beer.  
  
"Hey?!?!" said resentful Annie.  
  
"Dom told me, he would have taken you here" finally explained Mia. Looked like everybody knew everything already except for her. Bryan joined them and after a while the couple left Annie alone.  
  
The party was a success and all the people were amusing themselves. Mia and Annie had worked a lot to prepare the bar for that evening and now seemed that all their work was a success. She scanned the people. Leon and Jesse had found both a girl and so did Vince, things that made Annie happy, because she was safe, at least for that night. She looked at Dom, he was talking with some guys. Letty was nearby him like a glue. Notwithstanding this, Dom suddenly turned to smile at her. Annie replied shyly. Letty saw it and glued more to Dom, and he didn't seem too bothered by it. Annie gave herself the stupid. She was drooling over a man who wasn't free and which liked to play with her. She shook her head. Feeling anger growing insider her. Want to play? I'll show you Mr. Toretto that I can have fun as well as you thought Annie to herself determined. I want to have fun tonight.  
  
In that moment arrived Hector and after having greeted all, saw her and came. "So you here" noticed Annie smiling.  
  
"Told you" he replied smiling back: "want a beer?" he offered her.  
  
"No thanks. I almost don't drink alcohols"  
  
"C'mon try!" insisted Hector and gave her a Corona.  
  
She took it and drank a swallow: "Bleagh! It's disgusting!"  
  
He laughed: "Yeah, all the beers at the beginning. It's because you're not accustomed!" he explained amused. She looked at him doubtfully and nodded.  
  
"Some people mix beer and orange juice, they say it has a better taste like that" continued Hector.  
  
She followed his advice and drank it: "A bit better but still disgusting" said Annie kindly in a low tone.  
  
He grinned amused.  
  
She liked Hector; he was nice, sure a bit more comprehensive then Dom and with a quiet sense of humour. Without even perceiving it, she passed all the rest of the evening talking with him. Sometimes she glanced at Dom discovering him always talking with some people and having fun. She didn't know why, but she felt upset. Something inside told her that she had to be happy about this: No Dom around her, no problems. But she felt however upset.  
  
Maybe because she was drunk, but suddenly, she felt all this energy charging inside her and she would have detonated soon, if she didn't do something. So when she recognised a music that she liked, she decided it was time to dance. "Want to dance?" suddenly proposed Annie with a seducing smile to Hector.  
  
"No, no. Hector never dances. But I like to watch. Go. I'll watch you." replied Hector smiling charming at her.  
  
She looked at him still not convinced. "C'mon, I'll be here watching you! Dance for me baby!" insisted Hector with a smile.  
  
She didn't want to give a show but she was going to explode if she didn't do something to discharge that electricity. "Ok" she said in a low tone not too convinced and with an uncertain walk, went to the middle of what had to be a dance floor.  
  
A new music started in that moment and Annie smiled; it was "Lady Marmalade" one of her favourites. She stood there for a while feeling a bit uneasy looking around her to the other girls dancing, then she closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Forgetting all the world around her, slowly she began to move, at first just a little then, more and more following the rhythm of the music, relaxing and letting the music invading her body and her mind. Little by little she took familiarity and in a while all the eyes in the room were on her. She danced for Hector, and, for Dom. Some guys started to clap and other cried: "Way to go girl!" but Annie simply didn't care. She got the rhythm. Following the beat of the music she lifted her arms up, her small black top raised up as well and now barely covered her breast, she moved her hips wide, and her belt full of small medals, jingled.  
  
She looked at the crowd, searching for Dom. She caught him watching her body moving, his stare darkened of desire, slowly lifted up; his caramel eyes looked at her shamelessly sensual and when she took her time passing her tongue deliberately slowly on her lips, he grinned at that. He was definitely liking her game of seduction and this gave her a strange and inexplicable sense of euphoria. She has never felt as woman as she was feeling now. Letty noticed that secret exchange of look between them and started to rub her body against that of Dom, which nonchalantly placed his hands on her waist but didn't get his eyes out of Annie. He liked what he saw. Annie smiled and encouraged by this, continued her sensual dance.  
  
She turned to look at Hector. His eyes wide opened were eating her alive. He slowly swallowed. She smiled and ran her hands on her body. She danced for him, moving perfectly with the music. Other girls joined her at the dance floor and this made her feel more at her ease. The music changed and she joined Hector.  
  
"Wow" he said breathing deeply: "You are someone. I've never seen dancing as sexy as you just did" he ended looking visibly astonished. She smiled satisfied, this was to prove that she could be as sexy as Letty was. Hector grabbed her by her hips and slammed against him. People took it as the end of the show and got back to what they were doing earlier.  
  
She looked at him blushing a little. "But you're too demanding" he suddenly said with a grin.  
  
"What?" said Annie, blinking her eyes. She didn't understand.  
  
"You're too much for me" he quietly replied with a friendly smile, like if it was obvious.  
  
"I've seen certain people looking at you and I don't want problems" he paused. "I know that look. It's the same I got with my chicks".  
  
"What are you talking about?" asked Annie.  
  
"You are property of someone else" simply explained Hector  
  
She snorted. She was fed up of hearing this. "I'm property of no one except for myself" she said tough.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever" said Hector in a kidding tone grinning, like someone who knew more than what he said, he didn't insist and dropped the subject with something else. They remained on one side all the evening talking, but it was no more the same thing as before she'd danced and Annie discovered herself thinking of what mistake she could have done. What was wrong with her?  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
One hour later, Hector left her and went away with his team. She looked around. The air was full of smoke and hot but the party was definitely a success: lot of people had come and were having fun. Good: this was a good publicity for Mia's bar. She looked around once more feeling hot now. She needed to breathe. Inside the bar there was no more oxygen she realised. She took a Corona and went outside.  
  
The soft fresh evening breeze made her shiver a little, but she liked it. That's what I really needed, she thought. She seated on a stair and just stayed there, with the music coming softer from the bar, her beer in a hand and that delicious breeze. Maybe she was a little bit drunk but it didn't matter now. She closed her eyes delighted and leaned back her head as to relax herself more: Perfect. "Oh, oh, oh" suddenly a male voice said. "what my eyes can see: the bitch of my lost good affair". She knew that voice. But who was he? Annie frowned raising her head up. She slowly opened her eyes to watch from where the voice came. Henry!!! The man who had wanted to cheat Dom with the French guy, but had failed.  
  
"You here" said calmly Anastasia, giving him a cold glance. She didn't like that man, she'd never liked since the beginning, and now he was staring her in a way that scared her. What he wanted?  
  
"Yeah" Henry replied with a slimy smile approaching with a beer in his hand.  
  
"Dom invited you?" Annie asked him raising an eyebrow, remaining still. He didn't have to know that she was afraid, and the best way of hiding it, was to talk.  
  
"No" the man replied approaching more. "He didn't invite me." He paused. "You know we were great friends before you came" the man said menacingly.  
  
Doubt it! Thought Annie.  
  
"Then you came, and spoiled everything, bitch" he ended angry underlining the last word.  
  
"And what you want from him now" she asked sharply half closing her eyes and tilting her head a little on one side.  
  
" I want vengeance . . . I want it from you!" Henry said lowering his tone. Now she was completely scared!  
  
She stood up, preparing herself for the worst, when a voice came from her shoulder: "Is everything fine, Annie?" It was Bryan!! Bryan!!! Her rescuer!!!! She turned to look at him. He was watching at the scene a beer in a hand, very calm leaning nonchalantly against the wall.  
  
"But - do I know you?" said Bryan frowning.  
  
And it was in that moment that all happened. In a while, Annie heard something like a sound of broken glass from her back and Henry grabbed her and put the broken bottleneck menacingly near her neck. She held her breath scared. "I wanted to take my vengeance only on her, but since you came, son of a bitch, I'll have to change my plans!" said angry Henry. "Don't shout or make any sign or I swear you, that I kill this bitch!" continued Henry.  
  
Bryan posed his beer. "Ok, ok. I'll do nothing but you calm down. Let's talk." said Bryan accentuating his words with the gesture of his hands.  
  
"Come on! Let's make a little walk" said Henry. He grabbed Annie in that position, still under the menace of the broken bottleneck and pushed her in a secondary dark blind alley, preceded by Bryan. Once there, Henry left Annie pushing her violently toward Bryan who suddenly grabbed her in his arms, to protect her.  
  
"You fine?" asked Bryan with apprehensive look. Annie nodded.  
  
"So? What do you want?" asked Bryan to Henry.  
  
Henry smiled, a ugly smile. "You know, thanks to that bitch, I lost a lot of money in the Toretto's affair." started to say the man.  
  
"Shall this interest me?" said Bryan tough.  
  
Annie looked at him, now she realised why Dom trusted so much in him. He was as strong and tough as Dom was. And not stupid.  
  
"Definitely yes." Said Henry. "Here is the deal: In two days a truck with a big media equipments cargo gonna pass. I need that cargo to be hijacked." He finally explained.  
  
"What do you want?" insisted Bryan wanting to know all and clear.  
  
"I want you and that bitch to steal that cargo for me. And we'll be equal." Said Henry.  
  
"And if we don't do it" said Bryan.  
  
"Let's say like this: if you don't do it, I have enough ways to set Dom and his team up. I'll report to the police as him as the unique responsible of all this" ended Henry, grinning satisfied. "And I grant you that they will trust me". "Noo!" said Annie worried.  
  
"You can't do it!" said Bryan still calm not wanting to believe him.  
  
"Wanna see?" said defiantly Henry with a evil grin.  
  
"You work for me, in this affair. You do what I say, when I say and we'll all be happy" ended Henry.  
  
"Let Anastasia out of this" said Bryan "she's a chick, she knows nothing about all that".  
  
"She caused all my problems. Now she'll have to solve 'em" said Henry firmly. "You two, you'll do the job. No one else. Report it to anyone and I promise I'll all set you up!" Continued Henry.  
  
"Don't accept! We have to do something!" whispered Annie to Bryan.  
  
"We have no choice" he replied angry.  
  
"So? We make the deal?" said Henry smiling satisfied, knowing he was winning. Bryan sighed. Looked at Annie for a while as to search for an answer, then back to the man: "Yeah" he finally answered in a low defeated tone.  
  
"Perfect!" said Henry." I'll call you"  
  
Than he looked at Annie and he bowed ironically "My lady" then waved to Bryan: "see you".  
  
Once Henry was far, Annie turned to face Bryan. "Why you accepted? Are you silly or what?" she angry attacked him, her hands on her waist.  
  
"Because he can ruin Dom" sighed Bryan.  
  
"He has nothing, he can't do that, why shall the cops trust him?" said Annie not understanding.  
  
"Because once Dom did some extra cash with this" finally admitted Bryan.  
  
"You're kidding me" said Annie. Bryan looked at her in a way like Look, am I kidding you?  
  
Annie leaned against the wall and sighed: " Can't believe it . . . . " shaking her head.  
  
"It's time for you to know everything" said Bryan and started to tell her all. She heard him, in disbelief. Once he ended, she was speechless.  
  
"And that's why even today they continue to call me Spilner" ended Bryan with an half smile.  
  
"Now you know all the story. So, you see why we have no choice" he told her, watching for her reaction.  
  
"Shit! Who could imagine?" said Annie thoughtfully: "But I've never done something like that" she tried to say a bit scared to the idea of going against the law.  
  
"I'll drive you. Just one thing: no one will have to know" said Bryan giving her a warning look. She knew he was thinking about Dom and Mia especially.  
  
She sighed and nodded. "Ok" she whispered.  
  
"Let's come back to the party, before they'll notice our absence" said Bryan and both of them came back.  
  
  
  
----------------------------------------- 


	10. ch10

CH.10  
  
  
  
The party was near the end and Annie found herself alone, sit near the counter, bent on it with a beer in her hand. She was exhausted, it had been a terrible night. "Did you enjoy yourself" a voice from her shoulders suddenly said, making her start. She recognised the tone. That's all I needed to complete this night, she thought snorting.  
  
"A lot" she said flatly with a grimace without moving from her position while Dom sit nearby her to the counter.  
  
She finally turned to look at him. He looked so relaxed. He must have had fun that night.  
  
"Do you like it" Dom motioned his head indicating the beer she got in her hand.  
  
"No. But someone told me that after a while you get used to the taste and you find it good" she frankly said.  
  
He smiled. He liked her way to be so direct and at the same time her shyness. A strange cocktail that attracted and stimulated him a lot. "So why you continue" he simply said shrugging, like he found her very amusing.  
  
"Don't know" she breathed deeply: " Maybe I want to get drunk and forget this fucking night!" she replied bothered. He looked so damn calm and his tone made her feel worst. He had had to pass some good time with Letty obviously, she thought feeling really sad.  
  
"Oh, oh! Things didn't go like you expected" he said looking so damn satisfied. It wasn't a true question but more as a statement.  
  
She straightened up, looking right and left as to search for something: "Don't have no more guests with which to talk" asked Annie sharply and came back looking annoyed at him. He grinned. She drank another swallow of beer. She grimaced. Disgusting. Hector was wrong, thought Annie: it still tasted terrible.  
  
"C'mon! You've drunk enough. Let's dance" he suddenly said after having watched her attentively and without waiting for her reply he grabbed her by her wrist and dragged her to the dance floor.  
  
"Noo! Don't want it!" she said complaining while they were reaching the dance floor.  
  
"Stop always to protest!" said Dom sliding his hands around her waist and pushing her against his muscled body. He held her in his arms while the stereo played a soft slow music. ("All by myself") She hesitantly put her hands on his powerful chest and they slowly started to move following the music.  
  
"Why are you doing this to me" she said a bit of exasperation and tension in her voice: "Why are you torturing me?" she said almost complaining.  
  
He looked at her for a while with an indecipherable look almost wrong footed by her words, than a little grin appeared on his lips and he tightened his hold.  
  
"Where is Letty" she asked trying to look around her worried.  
  
He lowered his head his lips came near to her ear "ush" he simply said. She closed her eyes shivering. He couldn't do that to her fragile balance of her feelings. He could be tempting as a snake, she thought.  
  
His nose lingered near her earlobe "You smell so good" he told her softly.  
  
It was a pain. She'd dreamt for this, but she couldn't be there: he was still with Letty. "Please..let me go" she begged him in a whisper she wasn't sure she could resist for no more long time.  
  
"No" he replied pushing her more against himself. "Relax" he told her looking in her eyes. He got something of magnetic in them.  
  
They stared at each other for a long while, letting their eyes talk for them, then slowly she surrendered and leaned her head against him while he caressed her back. It was a delicious sensation. She closed her eyes, giving herself the stupid.. Why I cannot resist him, thought Annie worried. She felt so good and protected in his arms, all the world seemed to disappear. His touch. melted her like ice to the sun. It was all so perfect now. I want to. dream.only for tonight. Only for tonight,. told Annie to herself she whispered in such a low tone that Dom wasn't sure she could have said something. She finally let her going in his arms dandled from the sweet sensations that Dom's hands were giving her.  
  
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	11. ch11

A/n: According to the new rules of the site, this chapter has been censored to be rated as "R". If you want the true uncut version of it (the NC-17 one), please write me.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
CH.11  
  
She woke up with a start and looked around: it had to be the first light of the morning because outside it was still dark but less than usual. She felt horrible. She got a terrible headache and a terrible feeling like. Suddenly she ran to the bathroom and vomited all the impossible. It was horrible: she'd never felt like that before. She came back to bed, all sweated and exhausted, maybe now things would have been better, but a new big sense of nausea overwhelmed her and she ran again to the bathroom. ----------------------------  
  
Mia was drinking her coffee with the rest of the team when Dom got into the kitchen. He greeted everybody. "So you ready?" Letty asked him. It was Saturday and they've planned to go to the beach. Dom simply nodded. He didn't like too much to talk in the early morning. Then he frowned as if he'd just realised something: "Where is Anastasia?" "Bed. She's sick" Mia briefly explained. "What's up with her?" wanted to know Dom. "Think she got a hangover" continued Mia. "But she drank only beer last night" insisted Dom frowning. "Maybe she's a bit allergic to it" replied Mia shrugging. "Babies should drink only milk" said Letty sarcastic with an annoyed look. They were only spoiling time up to her.  
  
Dom looked daggers at her but she didn't care. "So? We go?" she insisted after a moment. Dom remained silent for a while, he felt guilty for Annie. Mia grinned, knowing what her brother was thinking but that was him: Protective with everybody he cared. And she knew, she'd recognised that look, he cared for Annie. Dangerous but brave, Mia recognised shaking her head, especially with someone like Letty nearby him.  
  
"Maybe we should call the doctor" proposed Bryan. "I think a day of rest will be enough" said Leon. " So we go?" said this time Vince. "You go, I stay" said Dom decisive. "YOU WHAT?" said Letty shocked. Oplà, the bomb is exploding, thought Mia very calmly. "You come with us!" said Letty tough and angry: "If she's not able to take care to herself, this is not our problem. She's not part of the team, you owe nothing to her" said Letty. "She IS part of the team" replied Dom toughly. Letty was becoming utterly unbearable and asphyxiating each day a little more he thought.  
  
"Since when" asked Letty placing her hands on her waist in a defiant position. "Since I decided that" Dom replied sharply, trying to remain calm. "You know nothing about her!" protested Letty trying to make him reason. "She works for me. She's paying her debt . That's all I need to know" he said, but he knew inside him that Letty was right; Jesse had found nothing about her on the net, which was quiet odd.  
  
"Sorry Dom, but last time you trusted someone we all know how it ended" she snorted, than she turned toward Bryan: "Nothing personal, O'Connor". Bryan grinned and nodded, he knew Letty: she wasn't made for nice words. "This is my decision anyway" replied Dom stubborn. "I won't pass the rest of my week end back to her!" said Letty angry. "No one asked you. You guys, you can go" said Dom very calmly. Up to him, the discussion had already ended and he turned to take a cup of coffee. "You sure man?" asked Bryan. "Yeah" said Dom taking a swallow of the black liquid. Letty stared at Dom still for a while: "Fuck!" she shouted and kicking the kitchen door with an incredible violence, she got out. "Be careful man! She might be dangerous!" said Leon raising an eyebrow. Dom didn't replied and restricted himself with a shrug.  
  
One hour later they were all gone. Dom sit in the kitchen closed his eyes and took his head in his hands. What was happening? He'd quarrelled with Letty. Again. It was happening often and often lately. Even making peace after, was no more the same. Why? Because of Annie? He opened his eyes and looked outside the window. No. It wasn't for her. She had had only the guilt to appear in the wrong moment. Because things with Letty, weren't no more the same since a few months before. Everything wasn't no more like before. Their relation was near the end, but no one of them wanted to admit it. He breathed deeply.  
  
With a swift move he stood up and decided to go upstairs to check for Annie's conditions. He got upstairs and once in front of her door he stopped. What? Was he suddenly afraid now? He turned his head as to listen for any noise coming from the inside. Silence. Maybe she was sleeping. Maybe he should only have had to go downstairs and wait for her call. No, no. It was better to know how did she feel, just in case she needed for a doctor. He breathed deeply and finally knocked at the door.  
  
"Lasciatemi sola!" shouted Annie from the door. Dom waited for a second then got in. The room was in the darkness. The bed looked like it had passed a war in it, and she was there: pale like the sheets, sweated and with dark shadows under her eyes. She had to be very sick. He reached the bed. She turned and looked at him. She blinked her eyes as to focus who was the person sit on the bed just in front of her. "What did you say?" asked Dom with a little grin. "No! You here!" said Annie finally moaning and turning while covering her face with the sheet to hide herself from his view.  
  
"How are you?" asked calmly, almost gently Dom. "A shit!" she replied moaning: "I feel like a shit. Now go away and leave me alone with my pain!" she said getting out from under the sheet, feeling very depressed because she was sick and because she had to be horrible right now. "Think you're allergic to beer" Dom simply established, almost thinking at loud voice. "Yeah" she said turning to face him:" Or maybe I'm allergic to you Dominic Toretto, or maybe to your badass girlfriend, sorta of Popeye with skirt that punches like Rocky and drives like Schumacher!" "Like. who??" asked Dom smiling amused. "Oh, you know." she moaned: "She's such perfect and tough and you're so proud of her.. I cannot compete with all this!" she said feeling all her depression coming outside. She didn't want to cry not when Dominic was in front of her, so she took the sheet and covered her face again. She couldn't stand his inquiring and at the same time ironical look no more, it was too humiliating.  
  
"But I don't want you to look like Letty." Suddenly said Dom gently, looking at her surprised, then grinned a little; she didn't need to compete. Letty was far from being perfect, especially now. He softly touched her shoulder but she moved out his touch and started to cry. He looked surprised by this reaction but grinned as to hide that : "Guess what? I think you got a big tearful sloshed! You need some sleep" he said ironically with that grin letting his hand fall down. When suddenly she turned with a swift move sitting on the bed and widening her eyes while she'd become more pale. He looked at her frowning not understanding: "What happens?" he asked her seriously worried. She said nothing and immediately ran to the bathroom to vomit again. Dom shook his head. A grin appeared on his lips: she was definitely allergic to beer.  
  
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In the afternoon, exactly five hours later, Anastasia went downstairs. "Ah. You here" she flatly said frowning at the sight of Dom sit on the sofa watching tv. "When did you arrive?" she asked him quietly. He looked at her not understanding: "Are you saying that you don't remember anything about this morning?" he asked her in a low voice a bit surprised raising an eyebrow. "Not a lot. I was sick." She only said. "And?" insisted Dom. "About what?" she asked frowning. "We talked" Dom explained her not knowing if she was joking or it was true what she was saying. "N-no?" Anastasia shook her head sincerely confused, then shrugged :" Hope I haven't said something unbecoming" she commented a bit embarrassed with an half smile. "Not too much" he replied ironically with a grin coming back watching TV.  
  
She looked at him a little confused, was that true or was it just a new way for Mister Toretto to tease her? "Sit down" he told her motioning with his hand on the sofa as she was still standing almost in front of him. She frowned still uncertain on what to do. "C'mon! I won't eat you. Promised." He insisted in an ironical tone. "Anyway I wouldn't be too much tasty" she replied sulky while she sit uncertain, paying attention to be as far as possible from him. She remained stiffly on her place glancing time to time at him: He looked so relaxed with his legs lengthened on a small table watching the TV.  
  
"How do you feel now" he suddenly asked her without taking his eyes out from the tv. "Still a little headache but better" she replied. He glanced at her: She wore a mini-jeans skirt with a white shirt on, half unbuttoned. She was better, but she looked still tired. She looked so fresh, like she'd just taken a shower, her hair still a bit moist had been tided up on a low soft ponytail. She smelled of clean . She was so good even now, like that. He frowned, chasing away those thoughts. "Did you ever drink before?" he forced himself to have a conversation with her. "Yeah. Wine, champagne even some cocktails here and there, but never beer before" she admitted. He looked at her in a strange way quiet astonished. How was it possible? Who was she? She was a mystery. Her past was a mystery and every time his team had tried to ask her for something about it, she'd avoid all the answers with skill.  
  
"I think I'm allergic to it" she said most to herself finding those words familiars. "Why you didn't go with the others?" she asked after a while. "I was tired and didn't want to meet other people. Just stay here alone at home" he replied lying. "Oh." She simply replied. Why she didn't trust him? "Do I bother you? You want me to go upstairs" she asked teasing him a little with a bit of irony in her voice since he didn't even look at her while talking. "No you can stay" he replied using the same tone: "If you don't make too much noise" he said kidding her. "I'll do my best" she replied in a teasing tone. He smiled. He liked to provoke her, she was so passionate that she immediately lost her temper. They remained like this, in front of the TV, silently watching a movie, when without even perceiving, they slowly felt asleep.  
  
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Two hours later, Dom slowly opened his eyes feeling his body numbed. He must have been fallen asleep in an uncomfortable strange position. He blinked his eyes and looked around: Annie was sleeping peacefully crouched in his arms with her head on his shoulder. His lips bent in a little grin and with the hand he had on her shoulder, he slowly caressed her hair. He stared at her: she looked so defenceless, and vulnerable now. Suddenly without thinking too much, he posed his lips on her forehead, softly kissing her. He indulged on her skin, like a caress, smelling her perfume, delighting himself of the moment. She moved during her sleep and unconsciously she raised her face up and placed her hand on his chest. Dom inhaled surprised by that. She was inches from him, so inviting, so tempting, he thought.  
  
He slowly delicately kissed the tip of her nose. Nothing. She was still sleeping. He decided to continue his exploration urged by the strange situation: they were alone in the house, she was softly leaned in his arms, he was still half asleep was this all true or just a dream? His mouth lowered on her lips covering them and kissing her. A simple, delicate kiss. Then, another one. She opened slowly her eyes blinking them, trying to realise what was happening. He stared at her silently inches from her face, waiting for her reaction.  
  
She'd been awaken by a nice, soft, quite strange sensation , like. like someone was kissing her.reality or just a dream? She felt so relaxed, so..good and protected. She blinked her eyes again: she was in his arms and he was gently caressing her hairs while staring her with a strange, sexy, deep and sweet look, his face so near to her. His lips were inches from hers waiting tempting, she slowly swallowed staring him and barely parted her lips: just one, one light kiss. He took that as her sign so he lowered more, his mouth covering softly hers, brushing like a caress and he kissed her, then another one and another. They were short, they were sweet, they were soft kisses, savouring each other, asking for more.  
  
"What are we doing" asked calmly Annie in a whisper between one kiss and another. "Don't know" Answered Dom while continuing to give her small kisses. "We should stop" said Annie. "Yeah" he murmured but didn't stop. It was like if an invisible barrier between them had just fallen. Like if all their passion could no more being restrained.  
  
He suddenly held her in his arms strongly making her stick up to his imposing body almost putting her astride him. With a swift movement he freed her hairs and put his hand through them holding her head while his kiss became more demanding. His lips pushed more against those of Annie, inviting her to part her lips. They kissed, slowly taking their time, exploring each other sweetly. It was like if they were knowing each other and at the same time like a game of seduction. He didn't give her time to think; he kissed her and again, and again. He lowered his free hand and while kissing her, he started to unbutton her shirt. "Dom." she whispered on his mouth as a last effort to stop him. "Tell me you want me to stop" he whispered her breathing on her mouth, then his lips moved to her earlobe biting it, causing shivers on her body. She closed her eyes : "Mmh." was her only reply.  
  
He continued to unbutton her shirt and suddenly he pushed it off her shoulders. "C'mon.let you go" he encouraged her in a whisper kissing her chin and slowly lowering to her neck, then back to her mouth kissing her. She wanted to stop him but what he was doing to her..she couldn't think and her body seemed not to collaborate with what her brain was trying to tell her. His touch was so perfect, she bowed her head back and closed her eyes. She took the courage and slid her hand under his black t-shirt touching the hot skin of his stomach. He contracted his muscles under her delicate touch. She smiled and encouraged by his reaction she lifted his t-shirt up, and he helped her to peel it off. She leaned on his chest leaving a trail of small kisses. A moan escaped from his lips. She looked up at him and he stared at her with his deep caramel eyes. His breath had accelerated and suddenly he took her head and made her raise up to kiss him, while with his hands he caressed her back.  
  
It wasn't comfortable in that position, so he took her and without she could almost perceive that, he made her turn until she was completely under him, laid on the sofa with him on top. For a moment she seemed not being able to breath under all his weight, then he raised himself on one elbow and stared at her. His head went down his lips brushed hers, it was irresistible. She caressed his chest, his arms, then she lifted herself a little because she wanted to feel him, she wanted to kiss him.  
  
His lips left her mouth to run on her chin, then on her neck. "Oooh." whispered Annie. It was fantastic. But she had to stop him, it was so dangerous what they were doing. "Dom." she found the strength to say. "Yeah" he said while kissing and touching her. "We..we can't" she dared to protest: "If they come back and ..discover us." she couldn't reason he didn't stop to touch her and words came difficulty to her mouth. "They won't come until later night" said Dom stopping for a while and watching her. "Dom.we shouldn't ." she said with a big effort and blushing even a little: "we .you.we. should stop".  
  
He was gazing her intensely. She gulped, then closed her eyes. Her body moving of pleasure. He watched her. "Tell me to stop" said Dom increasing his caress. "Ooh."She rolled her head back. It was more than fantastic, she felt like she was becoming mad of pleasure: "Mmh..." she whispered through her lips feeling a big explosion inside her and tightening her hold on his arms or she would have been lost. "You like it" he asked smiling satisfied. "Oooh..." she only moaned. "You like it?" he insisted with a little grin. "Ooooh..yeah." she finally answered in a whisper. It was unique his touch, and she'd never felt like this before. His breath became faster and his kisses became red-hot, causing her breathing to change.  
  
When both of them couldn't resist no more he took her decisively: "Oooh...Dom!" she said rolling her head back. He was a first- rate kisser and Annie was overwhelmed by him, the passion that had grown between them. It was like if they were born to be together. Then they seemed to touch the sky, far from the world, far from everything, it was just them and their sensations. When it all ended, they found themselves in each others arms, sweating and panting hard. Shaken by what they'd just lived. "This..was unbelievable" said Annie softly after a long moment still shocked by what had already happened. "Yeah." whispered Dom, moving away a lock from her sweated forehead, his breath still irregular: "Pretty amazing" he finally added kissing her sweetly on her lips. He leaned against her and holding in each others arms they felt asleep.  
  
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	12. ch12

CH.12  
  
One week passed since that afternoon and no one of Annie and Dom came back to the subject later. It was all like if it had never happened, which made Annie feeling nervous and depressed. But there wasn't a solution, except for the fact that Dom, was still with Letty and that she'd been a stupid to do what she'd done with him, thought Annie, cleaning the coffee machine that afternoon.  
  
She'd been the pastime of a Sunday afternoon. She'd had to know that. What she'd thought? You're mad, she told to herself. And now, she felt not only depressed but also guilty for what they'd done. He was with Letty. He'd a girlfriend and.she knew that and notwithstanding she'd made love with him. Wait. Love? No, this was sex. Just sex. At least for him. Because even for what wrong it was what they'd done, in her mind, she couldn't repudiate that afternoon. It had been great, unique and special and she would have saved it in her heart for the rest of her life. But for the rest, there was only one solution: avoiding any more physical contact with Dominic Toretto. Even if she didn't like Letty, she wasn't the kind of girl to steal the boyfriends from the others. Even if only for a little moment. -Is what you already did - thought sadly Annie. You've betrayed a girl. You've betrayed your rules. You'll never forget it. She sighed. That afternoon she felt worse than usual.  
  
When suddenly she heard the sound of cars approaching to the bar. Dom and the team stopped their cars in front of the bar and got out. They got inside the bar making a lot of noise as usual, talking loudly about cars, races, and engines. Annie couldn't restraint a quiet grin: if someone had told her, five months before that in a near future she would have been part of a street racers team, she would have laughed out loud about that and now..she shook her head and with that smile on her lips, she greeted everybody. Dom glanced at her as to understand the reason of her mysterious smile but when he met her gaze, her smile disappeared and she turned to talk with a client. He stared at her still for a moment then went to his 'office' to check the bills as usual and Annie could finally breathe normally.  
  
She was preparing a coffee when suddenly someone came near to her. She glanced: "Bryan!" "Gotta talk to you" he told her seriously.  
  
A stab of pain reached her stomach. Something in his eyes worried her. She served the client and reached him on one side, far from the others. She looked at him with a questioning look even if inside her she feared to know what he was going to say. "It's for tonight" he briefly told her.  
  
She gulped: " Ok, but - how will we do with Dom? How will we do without the other will notice our absence?" asked Annie.  
  
" Don't worry I'll call you at the right moment, just be ready." Simply said Bryan.  
  
Annie nodded: "Ok." And both of them rejoined the group.  
  
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"Annie? Annie!" a male voice was calling while someone was shaking her.  
  
"Mmh . . . ?" she murmured in her sleep.  
  
"C'mon! It's time to go!" whispered again that voice.  
  
Anastasia opened her eyes blinking them then frowned as to understand: Bryan was standing just in front of her bed in the darkness. In a second she remembered everything. How could have been possible that she'd fallen asleep? It seemed to her that she'd just closed her eyes for a few minutes. "Give me a minute and I'll be ready" said Annie.  
  
"Ok. I'll wait you downstairs. Be careful, the others are sleeping" he told her and she nodded. He got out of her room. She looked at her clock: 3.00am. She stood up and breathed deeply: "Ok . . .let's go".  
  
After a while she joined Bryan downstairs. He was worried as well as her she noticed, but fortunately he knew what to do. They got out of the house very silently, paying attention of not making noise closing the door, then they walked for a long moment until they joined a black car parked on one side of the street. "Whose car is this?" asked Annie once they were inside and Bryan was driving.  
  
"Henry gave me" replied Bryan shortly.  
  
" It's all perfectly organized . . . " noticed Annie thoughtfully looking outside the window. "Bryan?" she asked after a while.  
  
"Yes"  
  
"Are we sure about this?" said Annie giving voice to her thoughts. He stopped at a red light and turned to face her. She looked visibly restless.  
  
"It'll be fine" he said in a low tone, touching with his hand her thigh in a reassuring way : "It'll be fine" he added after a moment almost to himself watching back to the empty silent road in front of him.  
  
"A diplomatic and an ex-cop, we are a good example to follow" she said ironical and Bryan grinned. The rest of the way was silent. Tension filled the air.  
  
They arrived at the restaurant on the highway that Henry had told them they would have found the truck.  
  
"It's there" said Annie finding it. Bryan nodded and drove the car in a dark place of the parking, stopping it.  
  
"C'mon" said Bryan and they got off the car joining the windows of the restaurant. He glanced inside.  
  
She breathed: "So? What do we do now?" she asked nervously turning to look at Bryan.  
  
"We wait until the driver will come out. Once we'll see him, you'll go into action" he explained her.  
  
"Sorry?" asked Annie bewildered.  
  
"You'll have to take his attention, making him open the truck then . . . .I'll come and do the rest" he ended with an half smile.  
  
"Easy, where is the problem?" Annie answered to his words in a teasing tone. It wasn't clear the -I will do the rest - but Annie didn't insist, hoping that Bryan knew well what they were going to do. They waited for half an hour, then someone came out of the restaurant and immediately Bryan held her in his arms.  
  
"Bryan?" she asked hesitantly: "What are you doing?"  
  
"I'm acting like if you were my girlfriend, so that no one will notice us" he explained her.  
  
"Oh . . . " She felt a bit uneasy and uncertain: "Are you sure? Because . . . " she was saying when suddenly he stopped her words by covering her mouth with his and kissing her for a long moment. It was a strange unexpected kiss. His lips were soft and gentle. When he stopped and raised his head up, he smiled a bit embarrassed: "Someone was coming" he explained watching at her shocked reaction.  
  
"Oh, . . . oh., ok." She said clearing her throat.  
  
"By the way, - " Said Bryan: "You kiss pretty good" he whispered her with a malicious grin.  
  
"Why thank you" she replied smiling ironical: " You too, you aren't so bad . . . " she was saying when suddenly someone got out from the restaurant again and Bryan kissed her again for long, with transport, indulging on her mouth. He was a very good kisser. It looked a lot like a true kiss and if it was a fake one, well, he had to be the king of that. Someone whistled at the scene.  
  
When he left her, she slowly opened her eyes a bit lost. Something had happened. They stared at each other speechless. For a long moment They tried astonished to understand the odd. It had been crazy. Madness. He was still holding her gently in his arms. She gulped, blinking her eyes and feeling a little dizzy. He cleared his throat. They were slowly waking up, slowly coming back to reason. He suddenly left her as only the contact could send him electricity. She straightened up. "So - " he whispered not knowing what to say.  
  
"Well - " she replied.  
  
They looked at each other uneasy. "I didn't-" she started to say confused.  
  
"Neither did I" added Bryan.  
  
They breathed, controlling their emotions. Then she finally broke the silence. "I - " she cleared her throat again and he smiled at that. "I'm starting to think that you like this, more than expected" she said ironic.  
  
He smiled amused: "Well, you know, better this, than a kick in the ass!" said Bryan with an innocent face and both laughed nervously at that. The moment was gone.  
  
"You're someone Bryan!" she told him after a moment.  
  
"Anyway" he started: " It would be definitely better not to tell this to Mia . . . And Dom . . . especially to him, . . . You know . . . " he told her suddenly serious feeling clearly uneasy.  
  
"You mean about the truck" she asked him.  
  
"And the kiss" he underlined more uneasily.  
  
"Can't believe it: You're scared of Dom!" She teased him.  
  
"Don't you?" Said Bryan with a grin.  
  
She shrugged: "ok, I admit it . . . yes I am!" she smiled. But the question in her head remained; Why Dom had to be interested by that kiss?  
  
Then suddenly Bryan said: "Here! Must be him!" and glanced to a big man who had just got out of the restaurant.  
  
She followed Bryan's look and gulped trying to mentally prepare herself. "Take this" said Bryan, giving her a spray.  
  
"What's that?" she asked.  
  
"In case of emergency, use it against him - not you!" he warned her. Then watching her scared reaction he added with an half smile shrugging: "You know, - just in case, - I wasn't fast enough!" she looked at him with a worried look.  
  
"I was kidding! I'll be fast! I'll be fast!" he added grinning. She breathed deeply, straightened up and started to walk toward the man.  
  
The owner of the truck was a very big bulky man who looked almost twice than Vince. Annie walked fast to reach him, then when she was near enough: " Hey sweetie? Is it the way to go with a girl? I've been looking for you all the evening and you even didn't notice me!" she loudly said. The man turned and saw her. He looked doubtful at her and Annie gave him a provoking smile starting to wiggle sexily toward him.  
  
"I didn't see you inside" said the man suspiciously.  
  
"Sweetie, you offend me! Is it possible that you haven't noticed me before?" she insisted winking at him. She reached him: he was enormous and she had to roll her head back a little to look at his eyes. He strongly smelled of beer. He stared at her thoughtfully for a long moment and Annie was becoming more and more worried that he couldn't trust her. When she was very near to say something more, he finally gave her what it had to be a seducing smile: " Yeah, now I remember you blondie" he replied. She breathed, a sigh of relief and smiled: he was drunk.  
  
"So what are we waiting for?" she dared to say: "why don't you show me your big truck" she ended her words with a seducing allusive smile.  
  
He looked hesitantly, then agreed: "Ok, I'll show you my reign". He opened the door of the truck and helped her jumping inside the cockpit touching for this, her bottom. Annie started a little but then realized: the plan was working.  
  
Once inside, he showed her the truck, explaining everything and meanwhile he approached more and more to her. Annie was becoming very nervous. She tried to make him talk but he didn't seem to follow her no more and tried only to touch her. "C'mon blondie! You look to be very hot!" said the man grabbing her hair and pushing her against him trying to kiss her. Annie tried first to free herself very politely then with more strength but nothing, he was bigger and stronger than her and he kissed her. She fought trying to free herself until desperate she bit his lip so strongly that he suddenly left her imprecating while the blood came out from his lip. She was scared now, very scared! Her mind went fast thinking at something to do when someone suddenly touched the man's shoulder and when he turned to see who it was, the man received a punch in his face. Bryan! It was Bryan! Finally! The man didn't seem to be shaken, but this gave her the time to free herself from the man's hold and got off the engine not before taking the keys of it.  
  
The man reacted immediately like a fury, taking Bryan and throwing him out of the truck. In a second, the bulky man was again on Bryan punching him with a strength that Annie thought impossible for a man. Bryan tried to react but the man was enormous and stronger than him and soon he ended to be overwhelmed by his hits. Annie looked at the scene shocked not knowing exactly what to do: "Ooh!!! What shall I do??" was saying Annie to herself worried. Think, think fast! Suddenly she got the idea: The spray! The problem was that the man was taller than Bryan, how could she reach his face? He'd had to bend down. He was hitting badly Bryan who looked fainted; she'd had to be fast. She didn't think too much and hit with all her strength at the bending of the knee of the man.  
  
It was all so unexpected and decisive that the man fell on the floor on his knees. She took the spray Bryan had given her before and sprayed the liquid on the man's face. "Bitch!" the man shouted and was going to hit her, but in a moment he fell asleep on the floor.  
  
"Bryan!" she shouted and came to his friend which was leaned on the floor consciousness. "Oh, My god he's dead!" said Annie watching shocked at his face covered by the blood: "Bryan!!! Please!!! Are you all right?" she stirred him: "Bryan?? Bryan!!!" she looked around no one has seen them, but now? "Oh, shit! And now? How can I do it?" "Bryan?!" she called again her friend shacking him a little.  
  
"Annie." said in a whisper Bryan his eyes closed, making a big effort to talk: " Annie..take the keys, .gotta go. take the.. map.in the car." was all he said before fainting again.  
  
"Bryan!!!" Annie called him again but nothing. She raised her head up: "The car.Which car? Ah, yes! Ok, ok..I can do it! Calm down Annie! Calm down!" she ran to the car and took the map than went back to Bryan. "Oh, Bryan! You have to help me! I'll never be able to carry you until the truck! C'mon! BRYAN!" she shouted.  
  
He seemed to hear her pray and opened his eyes moaning: "Ok, Ok. Now we have to reach the truck, at three we stand up and we walk , ok??? One..two..THREE!" and with an enormous effort from both of them , Bryan stood up but leaned completely on Annie's shoulder that dangerously waved under all his weight, trying with all herself to support him. They reached the truck and got inside.  
  
"Annie.you.you have to drive!" said Bryan in a barely audible voice.  
  
"What? I can't!! I don't know.I.."  
  
"Annie!" he interrupted her taking all his strengths to talk: "You can do it, baby! I'll help you! C'mon! Gotta go immediately!!" he told her, his voice a whisper. Incredible but under Bryan's instructions she started to move the big truck and drove it on the highway. "You're great Annie! Just continue like this, you're doing right!" said Bryan who looked to make it hard to be awaken. Annie wasn't too sure at the drive, so she went calmly taking her time. "Hon, just remember in case I faint take the highway 69 and it's the first parking area" told her Bryan.  
  
"No, Bryan don't leave me alone!" said worried Annie: "Don't do this to me!" But when she turned, Bryan was already fainted.  
  
"Shit!" cried Annie. Ok. She had to be cool and go on like this. It would have been easy. Easy. She drove carefully all along the way Bryan had told her. Once there she slowly stopped the truck. She breathed deeply: she'd arrived. She looked up and saw two cars making sign with their light, must have been Henry and his gang. Bryan awoke just in time and Annie helped him to get out of the truck. He was barely able to stand up so he leaned against her.  
  
"Miss Walker!" said a male voice reaching them: "I'm surprised!" said the man coming to light. It was Henry: "You did it!" he said loudly.  
  
"Like if we had choices!" grumbled in a low voice Annie.  
  
Henry gave her an evil satisfied smile: "Yeah, you're right!" he said.  
  
"So? Shall we be square?" she dared to ask him.  
  
"Yes.I'm satisfied. You respected the deal" Henry said. A man ran to the truck and immediately drove it away.  
  
"It's been a pleasure to make business with you" said Henry reaching his car.  
  
"Wait!!! How will we go back?" said Annie worried.  
  
"Goodbye Miss Walker!" and with an evil laugh he jumped in his car and they all drove away leaving them alone in the darkness.  
  
"Bastard!" she shouted to the cars.  
  
Bryan fainted again and Annie was forced to lean him to the floor. She felt desperation mixed up with all the tension of that night coming out. She caressed Bryan's face dirty of dry blood. Tears came down from her eyes: What can I do now? What?? She felt so lost. Suddenly she saw in Bryan's pants a shape she new well: his cell phone! But who she could call? At this time of the night? Who?... Mia! She only hoped that Bryan got the number registered in it! She found it and called her. Mia answered after some rings with a sleepy voice and it needed a while before she could understand what Annie was saying but immediately she realised. "Where are you Annie?" asked Mia.  
  
"I'm.I'm." she looked around lost. "Where am I? Shit!" She was so confused: "Wait!" Annie explained Mia all the way to that parking area she'd done.  
  
"Fine! I'll be there in a while!" said Mia and she hanged up.  
  
One hour later a car light enlightened Annie, sit on the floor with Bryan's head in her lap.  
  
"Bryan!" shouted Mia worried getting out of the car and running to them.  
  
"He's fine now!" said Annie still scared.  
  
"I'm fine Mia. I'm fine!" said Bryan slowly in a low voice.  
  
"C'mon, let's go! And you'll explain me all, during our way back home" said Mia helping Annie to bring Bryan to the car.  
  
Annie told Mia all the story and asked her to promise of not say a word to Dom about that. They arrived at home it was the first light of the morning. All were still sleeping. "Be silent" said Mia, helping Bryan to go upstairs.  
  
They were going to enter all in their own rooms when Letty appeared from the dark. She didn't know all, but she saw Bryan and his conditions and immediately guessed something. Mia looked at her with a begging look.  
  
"Please,..don't say a word" whispered Mia: "Letty..Please!" Letty waited as to think, gazing first Annie, then Bryan and Mia and finally nodded.  
  
"Thank you!" said Mia really thankful with a sincere and relieved smile. And all came finally to sleep.  
  
-------------------------------------- 


	13. ch13

CH.13  
  
Next day Bryan and Mia didn't came to work. Annie was at her place at the bar and felt physically and emotionally destroyed. She was still nervous, afraid that Dom could discover her. He'd asked her about Mia and Bryan and she'd evasively replied that maybe they'd been tired and had remained to sleep or had taken a day of holiday. Dom had stared at her for a long while, with an inquiring look in which she'd had been near to explode, then he'd relaxed grumbling something not nice about Bryan and had gone to work.  
  
Now, she was alone in the bar so lost in her problems that when the telephone rang, she started, imprecating with herself. I have to calm down absolutely, she thought. "Annie?" said Jesse on the other side of the line.  
  
"Yes?" said Annie surprised that he was calling her.  
  
"Could you come here?" He asked her a bit embarrassed.  
  
"Why? Is that something wrong?" asked worried Annie.  
  
"No, no, it's only that . . . we need you for something - " He replied evasively.  
  
"Ok, but . . . how do I do with the bar?" asked Annie.  
  
"Dom says to close and come here." answered Jesse more uncomfortable.  
  
"Ok . . . I'm coming" said Annie a bit surprised and hanged up.  
  
Half an hour later she arrived at the garage. She found all the guys appeared before her, arms crossed on their chests. Only Letty was on one side, not so happy to see her as usual. "So? What's the problem?" asked Annie without understanding: "I did something wrong again?" she dared to ask with a worried look.  
  
"Ok guys, you can move" said a deep husky voice coming from back to her shoulders. She swiftly turned. It was Dom, reaching her very quietly, still cleaning his hands. She turned to the guys again they moved, discovering her car all modified and ready to race. It looked completely new and amazing.  
  
"Is that my car?" Asked Annie widening her eyes astonished opened mouth: "Is that the same car I gave you a week ago?" asked Annie in disbelief.  
  
"Yeah" said chuckling Leon.  
  
"What did you do it?" Asked Annie, slowly approaching to it, looking like a child who had just received the most beautiful, precious and wanted toy. The guys looked at her reaction silently with a satisfied classic proud male smile on their lips. She reached the car and caressed it softly, as only her touch could spoil it. It had been lowered and only for this, it looked more aggressive. On both sides, there had been represented a gold jaguar in the act of attacking.  
  
Dom looked amused at her but also flattered. It happened so rarely that people reacted in such this open way to his work because they were to toughs to tell it or too ignorant to notice it. "We worked on the head, increased the valves, put a Motec system exhaust and - " had started to say Dom when Jesse interrupted him and continued: "We worked on the aerodynamic profile, changed the cammes shafts, changed the turbine and placed a Garret T15, it has a stand alone fuel management system, Oh! The rim of 19, we put imprinted pistons and - " Dom continued: " Changed the breaking system using a Brembo 8 pistons, we worked on the set -up, changed the springs of the shock absorber and two, three more things" ended Dom haughtily with the arrogance given by the certainty of being the no.1 in his work.  
  
He waited silently for Annie's reaction. She looked so excited.  
  
"Open it!" said Jesse not able to hide his excitement.  
  
"Shall I?" asked intimidated Annie.  
  
"It's yours!" said laughing Leon.  
  
She opened the door and got inside. "Great!" she muttered watching the cockpit amazed.  
  
"You have also a presetting NOS fogger system, but you won't use it, at least not for now." He paused: "You first have to show me your ability" he ended grinning but she didn't answer, too taken by the car. "Annie? . . . Annie! Are you listening to me?" Dom called her loudly, frowning as Annie was searching for something, touching the dashboard. "Well, but . . . what are you doing?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, but - " she paused concentrating herself in her research: "Where is the button for that small coloured light under the car?" she asked hopefully, her eyes shining of excitement, finally looking at Dom.  
  
She told him that in such an innocent, spontaneous and unexpected way that he was suddenly speechless while all the guys started to laugh out loudly. Dom shook his head in disbelief and grinned ironically amused. "Chicks!" he said: "Yeah!! There!" said Dom raising his tone in a fake resentful and irritated tone, indicating her a small control level.  
  
"Start it up" then he told her.  
  
"Shall I?" she asked once again still embarrassed.  
  
"Start it up!!" he ordered her.  
  
"Ok, Ok!" she turned the key and the car's engine started.  
  
It made a low, dull sound like the growl of a tiger. "Wow!" was all Annie was able to say, too amazed by it. Her eyes shinning, her excitement irrepressible. Dom looked at her fascinated. It had been a long time he didn't feel so proud and satisfied of his work. Annie could well not understand all the technical particularities, but she appreciated it; her reaction was sincere and genuine.she wasn't there to impress him, not to try to enter in his good graces.  
  
"Do you understand that you car now worth 15000$ more?" he told her.  
  
She nodded still watching at her jewel. Then she finally looked at him: he was observing her: "I understand that I'll have to work for the rest of my life here, to pay my debt!" she replied ironically.  
  
Dom smiled at her answer. He liked her sense of humour. "Let's go for the first drive lesson" he suddenly told her.  
  
She looked at him excited :"already?" He nodded.  
  
"Yeah, better you learn pizza girl how to drive, or you could be dangerous with that car!" said acid Letty. She'd approached. Her eyes were tough and angry her tone sharp.  
  
"What did you mean by that?" answered Annie with the same tough tone raising her chin in a provocative pose. She wasn't no more disposed to accept that tone.  
  
"What I just said" snarled Letty slowly approaching.  
  
"Are you looking for-" was saying Annie ready to spring.  
  
"Nothing" said Dom toughly, stopping their quarrel and giving Letty a dagger look.  
  
"Why don't you give her a break?" said Leon to Letty.  
  
"Why don't you shut your fucking mouth?" She replied angrily.  
  
Dom gave her a withering glance. "Let's go" he said decisive to Annie, jumping in her car. The conversation had ended. She drove out of the garage.  
  
"She hates me" said Annie after a while, almost thinking at loud voice, driving through the traffic. "And for what I can't stand her, I can't blame her for it" She ended in a low tone. Since that afternoon with him, she'd felt so sinful that she could barely watch herself in the mirror at the morning and Letty resentment made her feel worst.  
  
"She doesn't hate you, but me" he replied thoughtfully: "and uses you to arrive to me" he added looking forward.  
  
"Well - " she said smiling : " looks like she pretends not to notice very well!" said Annie ironically.  
  
"Drive" he ordered sharply ending their conversation. Letty was an heavy problem, but he would have think about her later.  
  
"Wanna try this car or not?" he suddenly said chasing away those thoughts.  
  
"What am I doing up to you?" she replied while running on the street nearby the beach.  
  
"When I say - try-, I mean: Try it!" said Dom and pushed firmly with his hand on her thigh, so that she pressed on the accelerator with her feet. "Aah!" she was surprised by it. But suddenly her car made almost a jump forward. Annie widened her eyes in surprise and following his advice speeded up. Her car ran wild along the street.  
  
After a long while Annie lowered her speed: "That's - that's a monster!" she commented all excited glancing at him. "I mean, it's like . . . yeah: like a jaguar!" she continued enraptured.  
  
He nodded and grinned: "Yeah, and you'll have to learn to drive and control it." He told her.  
  
""I don't know if I'm up to it, I mean and if I wasn't ready for her?" she said most to herself, suddenly hesitantly.  
  
" Don't worry, you'll be. You'll be soon" he replied quietly. Annie glanced at him and breathed deeply. She hoped he was right, she loved that car.  
  
-------------------------- -----  
  
Two hours later, they were back. Annie got out of her car slamming furiously the door of it and so did Dom. "You - you are a stubborn girl! You know?" he yelled against her looking exasperated.  
  
"You are a bully male chauvinist, arrogant,!" she cried back to him, pointing her finger against him, half closing her eyes.  
  
"MMMH!!!!!! Get this damn chick out of my way, or I'll kill her!!!" he roared to the team clenching his fists to underline his words, but she was already gone.  
  
"You're not exaggerating a little with her?" said Mia knowing her brother meticulousness too well. She and Bryan had arrived meanwhile and her boyfriend looked very tired.  
  
"You stay out of this!" admonished her Dom.  
  
"What happened?" asked Bryan chuckling.  
  
"That chick - " he started to say breathing deeply: "Drives me nut!" He ended exasperated, enough loudly so that even Annie could hear him.  
  
Letty smiled satisfied: "Told ya! She is not able. Clean and clear!"  
  
"Got nothing better to do now?" Dom asked her acid. He wasn't in the mood for that now.  
  
"No" She said smiling satisfied: "I like to stay here" she told him defiantly. "Well, find something to do. Now!" he yelled.  
  
"Right!" She replied acidly and went outside.  
  
Dom sit on a chair, taking a deep breath, his look lost in the emptiness, passing a hand on his head.  
  
"You fine man?" Bryan asked sitting nearby him. He nodded.  
  
"What happened?".  
  
"You know...I feel she's a good one. I know it, I can feel it and I'm sure about that."  
  
"With what part of your body are you talking?" Bryan teased him ironically but Dom gave him a warning look.  
  
"Ok, ok" said Bryan grinning, motioning in a surrender gesture.  
  
"It's like. if she's got stuck by something, kind of an invisible barrier" he ended thoughtfully, shaking his head, staring far at an imaginary point.  
  
"So? What will you do" asked Bryan.  
  
Dom sighed and straightened up, his determined gaze back in his eyes as he looked at Bryan.  
  
" Easy. Gonna break that line" said Dom finally calmed down, to his friend.  
  
---------------------------------- 


	14. ch14

CH.14  
  
Three days later the driving lessons between Dom and Annie were still at the same point: each time they came back, they were quarrelling for something. This time they arrived at the bar.  
  
"You're enervating, no better you're exhausting!" said Annie to Dom preceding him into the bar.  
  
"Oh, oh look who's talking! The expert!" replied Dom sarcastic.  
  
She stopped to face him, her hands on her waist, aggressive: "You pretend to me something absurd!" she yelled.  
  
"Me??? Absurd?!?" he repeated looking astonished, his tone ironical.  
  
"Know what? I think you were wrong, maybe I don't belong near a car. It's clear: I'm not good." Declared Annie in a simple tone.  
  
"And from where does it come this technical judgment?" asked Dom half closing his eyes.  
  
"It's obvious. I feel it." She replied toughly.  
  
"Oh, yeah . . . you feel it . . . " he nodded as she was unveiling a secret: "Because - you're . . . an expert?" he asked her provocative.  
  
"I'm not but - " "Then, if you're not, you better shut up and let me take decisions!" he replied tough.  
  
"But, maybe you just did a mistake with me . . " she made him notice: "Maybe, . . . you're wrong" she ended seductively, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"I cannot be wrong. Because I know. I'm never wrong on this things, I know you can do it, I feel it." Said Dom shaking his head, not believing at what she was saying.  
  
"With which part of your body you were thinking" Letty commented sarcastic passing nearby him with a beer.  
  
"You better shut up" he warned her.  
  
It was in that moment that Dom noticed Hector and his friend nearby the bar cheat-chatting. "You're only an arrogant sadist: you like to torture me! But I won't give you the chance to do it again!" replied Annie decisive to him. She brought a Coke and took a swallow.  
  
"Low down your voice" said Dom warning her with his eyes about Hector's presence.  
  
"We'll talk about this later" said Dom ending their discussion and turning to reach Vince and the others. She sighed resigned, shaking her head and turned to look around.  
  
She glanced at Hector: he was having fun kicking with another guy an empty can. She smiled and decided to reach his group. She arrived the exact moment in which he was saying to his friend: "I'm unbeatable, resign!". He was all satisfied. "Twenty bucks, that I'll keep you the can from your feet, only with my feet, kicking" she said defiantly, interrupting his laugh. The other guys of his team started to chuckle at that.  
  
He turned to look at her and charmingly smiled : "Hy sugar" he told her seducing. She smiled provoking at him, her eyes shining. "Why you'd want to waste your money" Hector teased her, not taking serious her bet.  
  
"Fifty bucks that'll keep you the can and in less than three minutes" she insisted never taking her eyes out of Hector and smiling: "and one of your guys can check the time" she ended seducing.  
  
"You're serious" he observed smiling fascinated by the idea. "Ok" accepted Hector shrugging keeping under his feet the can. Annie posed her bottle of Coke and smiled. The struggle started: Hector was a good kicker and it wasn't easy. The guys shouted inciting Hector. Even if she was a girl, he didn't gift her anything.  
  
Attracted by all that noise, Dom came just in time to see Annie winning the bet. "Stop the time, dude" said Annie panting a little, but with the can under her foot.  
  
"Two minutes and a half" declared the guy looking at his clock. All the others looked at her surprised.  
  
"Money, please" said Annie with a smirk.  
  
"How you did it" asked Hector in disbelief.  
  
"Thank you" she said keeping the money satisfied and putting it in her jeans back pocket.  
  
Dom was watching her.  
  
"How I did it?" she finally answered at his question: "I'm Italian, I know three things: cooking, soccer and do sex" she ended mischievously giving a glance to Dom and grabbing again her Coke. All the guys started to laugh out loud.  
  
"You're someone" said Hector slapping Annie on her shoulder.  
  
Dom grinned satisfied. He wasn't wrong. She was the right one.  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
"Ok. Today we'll do something different" announced Dom the day after to Annie at they're new driving lesson: "We'll go with two cars".  
  
She frowned: "What?"  
  
"C'mon" he grinned thinking at his plan satisfied while giving her a walkie- talkie, then they jumped on their car and went outside.  
  
Once in the traffic he called her: "Annie?"  
  
"Yeah, Dom?"  
  
"Ok, here is my plan: I drive and you have to follow me. I won't wait you so keep up or.you'll be lost."  
  
"What???????" was saying Annie astonished.  
  
"Oh." he interrupted her: "if you lose.you'll ought me 1000$ more" said Dom very satisfied, this was definitely a good idea, he thought.  
  
"No! Please! Dom! Wait!" was shouting Annie on the other side, but he had already closed the conversation and was speeding up.  
  
"What a bastard!" shouted Annie trying to follow him through the traffic. He heard her reply by the open walkie- talkie and laughed at that. It was unfair what he was going to do, but necessary for her.  
  
They started their dangerous fast race through the traffic. Dom was a great pilot and Annie got big difficulties to stay behind him. It was true: he wouldn't have waited her. He suddenly turned and did a slalom between some cars, she followed him but for all her efforts to stay back, when he did it again, faster then before, she was soon lost.  
  
"Fuck!" she cried slamming her hand against the wheel realizing that. Good Anastasia! Now you're lost and you ought him a 1000$ more! She thought imprecating then she smiled. She'd liked that kind of chase like: "smuggler and mercs" and he was right: she'd followed him without thinking too much following her instinct, driving fast. She'd just discovered that she could drive fast and good. She blinked her eyes and looked around, the problem now was: where she was because she didn't know LA and all the streets looked the same and .she was truly lost.  
  
It was evening when Annie finally arrived at home tired and angry. She saw him waiting her. She breathed deeply, half closing her eyes and stopped her car abruptly almost in the middle of the street. She got out of it slamming the door. She was furious.  
  
Dom watched her quietly leaned against his car, arms crossed on his chest. He looked very relaxed: "you here finally"  
  
"You! You dared to leave me there!" she yelled.  
  
"Told you".  
  
She was out of control: coming back had been much more difficult than what she'd expected. She had often taken the wrong street.  
  
"You've come back home at the end: strong sense of orientation" he grinned.  
  
"You bastard!" she shouted and pushed him away. She'd been suddenly scared, she'd forgot the name of the street and she'd had to go on just with her photographic memory which it hadn't been easy: for a while she'd thought to be lost. Only her stubbornness had saved her to stop her car on a side and call for a cab. Yes her stubbornness and her lack of money. So now all her worries had come out.  
  
"It wasn't bad until you were back to me" he told her: "You've learned something today" he added: "Told you to better keep up, it wouldn't have been easy".  
  
"You!" she suddenly cried trying to slap him but he prevented her movement and held her wrist twisting it on her back and slamming her against him.  
  
She breathed hard, distraught by the fear she'd felt, the tiredness and. the contact with him. He had to guess that because he smiled triumphant: "I like when you're so wild" he whispered her while she struggled to free herself. "Dom - please!" she tried to say while pushing him with her free hand on his chest. But he tightened his hold pushing her up to him, making her stand on the tip of her feet. His face was near to her, she could feel his hot breath on her cheek. "Leave me - I - Can't breath!!" she protested. "Shut up" he told her peremptory and kissed her wildly.  
  
When he raised up, she breathed hard and looked confused at him. She didn't try to fight, it was useless and she had no more forces.  
  
"You're a strange cocktail of confusion and sensuality." Said Dom while caressing her face with the back of his free hand: "I like that" he whispered and grabbing her at her nape of the neck, he kissed her again. This time the kiss was gentle slow and soft. They took their time to explore each other and soon they forgot the rest of the world.  
  
The sudden sound of steps made them come back to reality: someone was coming. "Dom?" it was Letty calling him.  
  
They detached immediately, fortunately hidden by the darkness of the night. Half covered by his car. Annie slipped away from him breathing hard. She blinked her eyes confused.  
  
He frowned breathing hard too. "You cannot run away from me" he whispered her. "It's useless. You ought me" he ended decisive and walked away.  
  
Dom reached Letty and put his arm around her shoulders starting to go back home when he suddenly turned: "Oh . . . ! And 'bout my driving lessons, . . . parking is not included among them, but I'll give you some free tip-off if you want". His tone arrogant, filled with irony, his lips bent in a grin. She glanced at the car she'd left in the middle of the street . Letty laughed at that and they both got home leaving Anastasia there: alone in the darkness. A tear crossed her face. Why you let him play with you? You never learn! She told bitterly to herself. He's using you! She repeated feeling so sad, confused and lonely in that moment.  
  
She came back home and went immediately in her room. Mia saw her running fast upstairs and frowned. Something was wrong.  
  
When Dom passed nearby her sister she stopped him, placing a hand on his forearm: "What did you do?" asked Mia softly but firm to him.  
  
Dom looked at his sister, frowning but didn't answer, he tried to free his arm from her hold.  
  
She tightened it. "Don't make her suffer. Don't you dare!" she admonished him serious. They exchanged a long look. His eyes thoughtful then, with a decisive gesture, he freed his arm, just in time for Letty to come and take his attention.  
  
-------------------------------------------- 


	15. ch15

A/n: According to the new rules of the site, this chapter has been censored to be rated as "R". If you want the true uncut version of it (the NC-17 one), please write me.  
  
  
  
  
  
CH.15  
  
  
  
It was a rainy Sunday, so all the team was at home. Mia, Bryan, Vince, Leon, Letty and Jesse were watching a movie in the living room. Annie was reading a book on an armchair. Dom took a beer and went watching outside the window. It was a dull, lazy day.  
  
Mia stood up to prepare some popcorn. What had been useful in Annie's training was that Vince seemed to leave her alone and Dom had given her two more weeks of time for their bet about the bar, because she had to spend more and more time on their driving lessons. Finally, that Sunday she could rest a little. She deserved it.  
  
Dom had never given her a break lately. He'd became more strict, uncompromising and intractable. It seemed that whatever Annie did, it was always wrong. Sometimes when she was alone in her room at night, Anastasia cried depressed and frustrated. She felt so incapable that now, every time he was going to talk her, she was worried it was for a scolding.  
  
At the drive, things weren't going so much better even if Annie tried as best as she could to do everything Dom told her. But that Sunday he didn't torture her. Finally a day of rest. She deserved it so much, to relax from all the tension she'd accumulated.  
  
She tried not to think about it, and to concentrate on her book instead, but her eyes came back watching him, while he looked outside the window. He was beautiful and strong and still he intimidated her even if she would have never showed him. She sighed silently. She liked him. Rather! Every time he looked at her, she melted and when he touched her, it was like a jolt of electricity. Fortunately, since the day she's been sick, he'd no more touched her except for a kiss and lately, he'd become so tough and untreatable. Anyway she should have been happy thought Annie for this, at least she didn't risk to have any other closer encounters with him, or his girlfriend, but she felt strangely empty and sad. Heck! Free your mind! She ordered herself upset.  
  
Suddenly he turned. She looked away fast, blushing and hoping he hadn't noticed that she'd been staring at him. "Let's go," he told her suddenly, picking up the keys of his car, "let's go out," he commanded firmly.  
  
"W-what?" she blinked.  
  
"C'mon," he insisted.  
  
"Where??" she asked stubbornly, frowning.  
  
"Come with me," he said decidedly, and, not waiting for her answer, he took his jacket.  
  
"Please!" she begged. "For one time, why you don't give me a break?"  
  
Dom gave her a warning look. "Move your ass. C'mon," he said sharply.  
  
"I'd like to know if I have a choice in all that" she asked sarcastically.  
  
"You sure don't. Move!" She stood up and followed him outside in the garage.  
  
She heard the rest of the team laugh back to her in a mockery tone. Anger grew inside her: He would have to pay for this! Even on Sunday and a day like that, she had to drive! "Listen, why you want to go on with all this? I'm simply not able to drive as you like, let's end it and I'll pay you for all your work and the car." She tried to say. It was frustrating but she wasn't able to do what he wanted her to.  
  
He jumped inside his car from the driving side, enlightening it. She waited outside the car.  
  
"You come immediately or do I have to get out and grab you?" he said fed up. She snorted angrily, half closing her eyes, and jumped in too. He drove outside the garage, into the rain.  
  
"You don't look too happy," he stated flatly after a while without taking his eyes off the street.  
  
"Should I be?" she asked in a sarcastic and angry tone.  
  
"Lot of people would be," he replied quietly, not caring of her tone.  
  
She glanced at him. What was all that politeness now?  
  
"Oh, yeah. Lot of girls would be" she teased him. She wasn't in the mood for games. He stopped the car at the traffic light and turned to stare at her. She angrily turned to look at him. They didn't speak. His usual tough look was now deep and undecipherable bewildering her. A strange electricity suddenly filled the air. Then both of them came back watching the street.  
  
"Why..why do you insist so much with me? I'm not able. I'm simply not!" she said devastated. "It's important," he told her still very quietly. "But why? I'll never be able to race. I simply haven't a flair for it and you continue and more and more, like. like a torture!!" she said, giving voice to her pain. She wanted to look controlled but she was dangerously losing it. She felt so depressed and tired.  
  
Annie breathed deeply and looked around, desperately trying not to cry and forcing herself to concentrate on where they were going. He didn't answer and a heavy silence came between them.  
  
After a long moment he asked quietly: "You consider this a torture?"  
  
"Heck yeah!" She said rolling her eyes: "And you! . You are a torture! Seems you like to treat me like that - to yell at me!" she said losing her temper. He couldn't restrain a little grin, she was for someway right, but after all this wasn't a game: She had to learn, it was very important.  
  
"We both know that I'll never be able to race, so why to continue? Why don't you give up?"  
  
"Stop to feel sorry for yourself," he replied toughly.  
  
"You're sadistic, arrogant, conceited!" she burst out angrily.  
  
He grinned as it was pretty funny what she was saying. She saw it and her anger grew even more: "What a bastard you are, Toretto!" she said, now completely furious. He was unbearable!  
  
Meanwhile they'd arrived nearby the beach. The sky looked like the sea: grey and furious. Like my mood, Annie thought darkly. At that point, the desert street passed nearby the cliff. The sea was so stormy that it crashed violently against the rocks and some water came down the street. It was terribly amazing. Dom stopped the car at the edge of the street under some high rocks.  
  
She looked around confused. Outside it was raining deeply. "Why did we stop here?" she asked worried. He didn't answer, just switched off the engine and turned to look at her, waiting.  
  
She didn't understand, until she felt a big uproar and what had to be an enormous wave crashed against the rocks powerfully, part of it overtaking the obstacle and splashing on the car, making it shake, covering it completely with white sea foam.  
  
"Aaah!" Annie shouted in surprise, widening her eyes, looking at the scene and grabbing his forearm as if to ask for protection.  
  
For a few second they'd been isolated from the rest of the world, then she looked fascinated at the sea foam slowly sliding down. Then another wave, bigger than before half passed the rocks, covering the car again and mixing with the rain who was falling down. This time she expected it and just stayed there watching amazed the beautiful show of the nature, her eyes widened in surprise and joy. Her hand was still on his forearm but she didn't care. She'd forgotten the entire world around her, too taken by what she was seeing.  
  
"So?" he softly asked her after a while: "Still angry with me?" he paused. "Am I still as arrogant, sadistic and conceited as before?" he asked her quietly.  
  
She turned to face him. He was observing her fascinated.  
  
She blinked as if to realize what he'd asked her, then she noticed her hand resting on his forearm and took it off immediately like he was burning her.  
  
"Yes," she answered, too stubborn and proud to give in. "But. but it's so.beautiful!" she said motioning with her hand at the waves outside shuddering the car. Her eyes shone in excitement as she stared back at him.  
  
"There's something scaring and at the same time exciting and beautiful in all this" Annie said thrilled.  
  
"Yeah," he said in a breath. His eyes so deep had lost the usual toughness.  
  
She felt a familiar stab to her stomach. He lifted his arm and with his rough index he caressed her cheek, then pushed back a hair lock from her face. She was mesmerized and didn't move, feeling her mouth become dry.  
  
He placed his hand on the nape of her neck caressing it, causing her to shiver at the soft touch. He approached and slowly covered her mouth with his one.  
  
He forced his way to her mouth, exploring her inside, at the beginning slowly and delicate, then with increasing passion. She put a hand on his chest as if to grab herself from the passion he was awaking inside her.  
  
When he left her they were both panting hard. She swallowed looking at him, his eyes were full of desire. He pushed back his front seat to have more space.  
  
"C'mere," he whispered grabbing her arm.  
  
"W-what?" She hesitated, not knowing what to do.  
  
"You've never done it in a car?" he asked ironically with a grin.  
  
"No" she answered softly, blushing and lowering her eyes down.  
  
He simply smiled.  
  
"Ok! Laugh if you want!" she told him frowning, afraid he would mock her.  
  
"It's time for your first time!" he simply told her with a comprehensive smile: "C'mere," he invited her softly, gently helping her to sit astride him.  
  
She had to be very close to him because of the little space of the cockpit. She put her hands on both sides nearby his head, her hair falling down in a soft cascade. She smiled a bit nervously at him and he caressed her back tenderly.  
  
"You know, you look like a cat" whispered Dom: "With those eyes . . . " he caressed her face with his finger.  
  
She smiled mischievously. "Know how cats do?" asked Annie.  
  
"No?"  
  
"When they see their master come, they approach him . . . " Annie said lowering her face to his earlobe.  
  
"Mmh . . . "  
  
"Very near . . . . " she whispered softly in his ear.  
  
"Mmh," he shut his eyes and grinned.  
  
"They rub themselves." she continued, gently rubbing her body against his provokingly and caressing his cheek with her lips, trailing to his mouth and barely brushing against his lips. He placed his hands on her waist and made her moving on him as he liked.  
  
"Yess." He watched her face again, his eyes half closed of desire.  
  
She smiled satisfied. "To leave their smell," she continued on his lips in a whisper, "to mark their territory." She kissed him delicately, almost only brushing his lips.  
  
"I love cats . . . ." he whispered on her lips and putting a hand through her hair, he kissed her deeply and passionately.  
  
She felt excitement growing inside her. He lowered his hands from her waist down to her thighs and caressed them slowly raising up her dress, touching her bare skin.  
  
Outside the weather was terrible but inside the temperature grew hotter. "Mmh . . . . " he purred. He kissed her chin, her cheek, her earlobe making her shiver while she ran her fingers over his chest slowly unbuttoning his shirt and caressing his hot skin.  
  
He led her to his mouth to kiss her again while his hands ran over her arms, her back, her bottom, caressing and driving her crazy.  
  
"Ooh . . . . ." She closed her eyes.  
  
"Undress yourself," he ordered suddenly.  
  
"W-what?" she asked opening her eyes confused.  
  
"I want to see you naked."  
  
"But if someone see us-" she tried to say checking outside where the storm was exploding. "No one will see us" he whispered.  
  
"But-" She tried to reason but it was hard. "Ush! You speak too much," he said grabbing her hair and pulling her down to close her mouth with a hot kiss.  
  
"C'mon do it for me Anastasia . . . . undress yourself" he whispered seductively.  
  
She took the fabric of her dress hesitantly and slipped it slowly off over her head. She looked back at him blushing under his attentive and hungry gaze.  
  
"My passion fruit" he whispered with a satisfied grin grabbing her and pushing her body near to him, holding her in his big arms and kissing her deeply. They caressed each other driving themselves to the top of pleasure.  
  
Suddenly he stopped her. "I want you Anastasia . . . now."  
  
"I have to take off my pants" she said breathing hard.  
  
"Take them off immediately or I'll tear them up" he said grinning on her lips, breathing her hot breath.  
  
"No, wait I need them later!" She giggled nervously. She was barely able to take them off from where she was and there was a moment of embarrassment, where she was there looking at him hesitantly. "Don't worry" he paused smiling reassuring: "Come here" he whispered softly helping her.  
  
She grabbed his shoulders, feeling the need to hold onto him because of the strong sensations invading her body, her mind. He slowly guided her. It was great, as if they were born to be together.  
  
"Oooh-" She moaned loudly at his perfect touch closing her eyes.  
  
He smiled: "You like?" he asked her. "Don't you dare to stop," she whispered. He smiled satisfied. She was so beautiful and perfect like a nymph. His nymph. When no one of them could resist no more they came, shouting at the same time, lost in a completely ecstasy of pleasure. Nothing else mattered, only their sensations, their feelings.  
  
When they slowly came back to reality, she was in his arms, still on top of him, her head on his chest. He softly caressed her back. "You know-" he started.  
  
"Yes" she whispered lifting a little to stare at him.  
  
"You were right about Italians-" he said with a mischievous smile. She giggled.  
  
"Dom?" she said after a long while.  
  
"Mmh . . . . " he replied with his eyes closed, still caressing her back with his finger drowsily.  
  
"If there will ever be a next time . . . . well, . . . . . we'll take my car. There's more space," she explained.  
  
"Are you saying that you don't like my car ?" he asked her chuckling.  
  
"No, it's a nice car" she said: "Just too small for . . . . . some kinds of sports" she said giggling.  
  
He chuckled amused and raised her chin to kiss her. "Ok."  
  
That's how they lived , thought Anastasia. Day by day. Live the moment, maybe there won't be another, she thought sadly, sighing silently "Wanna drive?" he asked her suddenly, bringing her back to reality.  
  
"What?" she asked still distracted lifting her head up to stare at him.  
  
"Wanna drive it?"  
  
"Are you kidding me?"  
  
"No" he said very quietly gently smiling, his eyes glittering as he looked at her.  
  
"Truly I can?" she asked amazed.  
  
"Yeah" he chuckled amused at her reaction.  
  
"Ok!" she said happily.  
  
"Ok!"  
  
"But,-you mean . . . . . now?" she asked frowning.  
  
"No, next year. Of course now!" he told her.  
  
"Wow, ok!" she said happily, kissing his lips lightly, and then got back to her place. They dressed up and Dom took them to a quiet road, then made her drive.  
  
  
  
"So? What's that? An excuse to give me another driving lesson?" she asked after a while in a kidding tone.  
  
He smiled: "You offend me. Honestly, you think me able of this?" he asked in a fake hurt tone, playing the game.  
  
"Oh, if it's for that, I think even worse about you!" she laughed.  
  
He chuckled at that. "Beware, you owe me a lot of money!" he teased her.  
  
"What do I risk? You want me to give you my dress?" she replied roguishly.  
  
"Mmh . . . sounds good to me. But not here, now . . . . . maybe later!" he grinned back.  
  
"Maniac!" she replied, pretending to be offended.  
  
He grinned even more. "No. Just hungry".  
  
"I'll buy you a sandwich."  
  
He grunted still grinning. "I didn't mean that."  
  
"I know," she replied smiling naughtily.  
  
He glanced at her and smirked. Meanwhile it had stopped to rain and the sky had opened, allowing the sun to shine.  
  
"Oh! Come on is it possible that we are blocked here?!" Annie said bored by the intense traffic and eager to test Dom's car. He smiled.  
  
"C'mon! C'mon! Ok. that's enough!" She was fed up and slalomed slowly through the traffic.  
  
"Oh, oh, wow!" Dom said worried, caught unaware. But thanks to what Annie had done, now they where running again. "You drive like Bryan. Who are you? A cop?" He asked her suddenly suspicious: "Where did you learn this?"  
  
"This? You mean what I just did?" she asked a little surprised.  
  
"Yeah"  
  
"As an Italian, beside the other things you have to know this, or you don't run through our traffic" she said smiling.  
  
"You sure?" he insisted.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I mean why Jesse hasn't found anything about you" he gave voice to the doubts that had been on his mind for the last few days.  
  
She frowned. "Maybe because I'm Italian and Italian people aren't on the net?" she tried to say casually. He gave her a warning look.  
  
"I'm clean," she said becoming serious again, "if it's that, what you meant" she ended glancing at him as she had read his thoughts.  
  
"Why should I trust you?" Dom asked raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Perhaps, because I would have run away with the money already," she replied teasing him.  
  
He looked at her thoughtfully, actually weighing up what she had said, then he finally nodded. "And could you do that again?" he asked more interested, dropping the subject.  
  
She slalomed a few cars overtaking some others. "Like this?" she asked.  
  
Finally, he said satisfied: "That's what I wanted!"  
  
"You're kidding me?"  
  
"Absolutely not."  
  
"It was this? All you told me to do, it was for this?" she couldn't believe it.  
  
"Heck yeah!" Dom said: "Plus two or three other things you're now ready to learn" he added grinning.  
  
"Wow!" she said suddenly wanting to laugh for joy.  
  
"Yeah, but keep your eyes on the street!" he admonished her.  
  
"And I thought I was stupid!" said Annie almost to herself still not believing.  
  
"I never told you that."  
  
"But you did everything to make me feel like that," she made it clear, shaking her head bitterly.  
  
He frowned. Had he been so tough with her?  
  
"I should only find someone with which testing my ability now" she said looking around.  
  
"Calm down. You still have to learn a few other things before. Tonight we'll gonna test you" he told her quietly.  
  
The next three hours were very productive for Annie. It was like if something between Dom and her had magically went off. Finally, whatever he told her to do she was able to put into practice. As the time passed she was more and more skilled making enormous progress as she'd never imagined she would have been able to do. Dom taught her plenty of little but useful tricks to keep her car in control, to let her feel and understand the engine and each single variation of sound made by it.  
  
Finally, they stopped at the traffic light. After a moment, another car stopped nearby Dom's side.  
  
"Hey baby, your pimp trust you to drive his car?" asked the man on a flaming Toyota Supra loudly directly to Annie.  
  
"Don't be taken in," Dom warned her softly.  
  
Annie smiled provokingly, raising an eyebrow. "Well - " She started to say loudly enough so that the man could hear her. "You know, I did a shine job with him and. that's my prize!" she ended ironically.  
  
Dom's lips bent in an amused grin. There was something true in what she'd just said.  
  
"Watch you mouth Anastasia," he admonished her, anyways.  
  
The man made his car roar. " The item interests me. Are you free later?" the man asked her insolently, ignoring Dom completely. Dom started to be upset. He was ready to reply when Anastasia stopped him placing a hand on his forearm, giving a sign with her eyes to play the game.  
  
"You know" she replied to the man: "I could leave you trailing some dust," she smiled seductively. Both Annie and Dom now looked at the man.  
  
"When?" asked the man.  
  
"Now" she replied.  
  
"With what? That jalopy?" he asked her surprised, chuckling ironically.  
  
Dom frowned and turned toward her: "Smoke him" She smiled satisfied and nodded: That's what she wanted.  
  
The green light appeared and they pushed the accelerator all the way down to the floor making the tires screech until they smoked. The race started.  
  
Annie had never imagined that she could run so fast. "Don't look at the speedometers," Dom suggested. "Hold the wheel tightly. Look far. Be ready for everything," he continued, his voice very controlled.  
  
For a long moment they stayed side by side running fast, so fast.  
  
They met two cars on their lane, one overtaking the other, and the road became smaller than before. "Ooh, wow! Be careful!" Dom said worried, holding himself to the handle.  
  
"There's only one who's gonna pass those cars-" Annie said decisive, almost to herself: "And it'll be me," she added, softly pushing the accelerator a little more, and in a fast and swift move she passed the Toyota and slipped between the two cars, just in time because the street became smaller and the Toyota remained behind the two cars.  
  
"Wow!" Annie breathed deeply watching her rear-view mirror for the Toyota, still behind the two cars. It had been an incredible unload of adrenaline, she'd never felt like that before.  
  
"Uh! Uh!" said Dom glancing back and breathing deeply: "You're definitely ready, hon, for your first step. You'll start tonight," he announced.  
  
  
  
One hour later Dom and Annie stopped at a restaurant to eat something. "You're almost ready," Dom said after a long moment. "You just need a good motivation before."  
  
"Yeah, or maybe some good sex before," Annie teased him smiling ironically.  
  
"Maybe," he replied amused by her impudence. "You know, pizza girl . . . . beware of your tongue or . . . it might cause you some problems."  
  
"Mmh . . . maybe . . . . " She accepted tilting her head quietly. "But you didn't talk like that before," she ended roguishly but also nonchalantly.  
  
He smiled amused at her allusion, and with a swift move he covered her mouth with his one, giving her a breathless kiss. When he left her she looked confused and surprised. "Told you to watch your mouth!" he whispered with a grin.  
  
She swallowed and blinked trying to clear her mind.  
  
He smiled satisfied at her reaction and ate a shrimp very calmly: "You know, if I didn't know you and it wasn't for the accent, I could think you'd come from some other LA team," he told her in a fake reproach.  
  
"But you don't know me," she underlined with the most fascinating smile she had, eating a shrimp.  
  
He stared at her for a while dumbfounded: "Yeah" he admitted darkly in a low tone shaking his head. "You're terrible, know that?" he grimaced after a while, not wanting to spoil that day. She nodded smiling.  
  
"Think I can make some money off your ass," Dom told her dropping the subject.  
  
"Really hope so. Maybe I'll be able to pay my debt to you finally."  
  
"Yeah, at the Race Wars" he quietly told her.  
  
"What?" she asked not understanding.  
  
"Race Wars. In four months. You'll be ready by that time. There, you'll give me back the money."  
  
"What's that?" Annie asked.  
  
"You'll discover it soon" he answered her enigmatically eating another shrimp. "Eat now," he ordered. "Tonight you're gonna have your first test".  
  
  
  
----------------------------------------- 


	16. ch16

CH.16 Later that night  
  
Seven cars ran in the night, arrived at a street full of people. "Here they are," Edwin said to Hector.  
  
Dom was the first to arrive, his car roaring loudly through the crowd. A sign, by which he announced to the others he was there. He was the one. The racer they were waiting for. As he got off his car he was immediately surrounded by the other team leaders. Meanwhile Vince, Letty, Leon, Bryan, Mia, Jesse and Anastasia stopped behind him. Anastasia was the last one.  
  
"Hey Dom." "Edwin, Hector, Henry," Dom greeted the others.  
  
"What do we do?" one of the guys asked.  
  
"A race. But I got a new one who will run tonight," Dom explained.  
  
"You've enlarged your racing team?" Johnny Tran asked coming between them. Dom snorted silently and tightened his lips. It didn't take that.  
  
"Johnny."  
  
"Dom." Both guys greeted each other weighing with their eyes.  
  
"Who is this new purchase?" Johnny asked. "Him?" indicating Bryan with an ironic grin.  
  
Dom looked at Johnny undecidedly. He didn't want to present Anastasia to him. Not tonight. But he had no choice.  
  
"Anastasia!" Dom called.  
  
She made her own way through the crowd, feeling all the eyes on her. You're tough, you're cool, she repeated mentally. She walked slowly, shoulders upright, trying to feel sure of herself in her large low raider black pants, with black combat boots and a very mini blue top that heightened her breast, with a little chain around her waist, her hair tied up and wearing rounded earrings. Dom looked at her and grinned proudly.  
  
"Shit," Edwin muttered.  
  
"Wow Anastasia you are-" Hector said speechless, with an admiring look. "Different," she ended for him very quietly, feeling more and more uneasy under all those eyes watching and judging her. She breathed deeply, trying to give the others a sense of strength that she was far from feeling and raised her chin defiantly. Dom seemed to read her feelings and silently came to stand nearby her as if to give her courage.  
  
"It's- her?" Tran asked incredulously. "A girl??"  
  
"Yeah, looks like until now . . . " Annie replied ironically and all the guys laughed at that.  
  
"If she runs half as well as she kicks . . . " said Hector leaving his words in the air and smiled, exchanging a knowing look with her.  
  
"Dom," Edwin started hesitantly, "race with a girl . . . you know-" "She is a good one," Dom declared sharply. He knew this would be the hardest part: convincing the others to race against a girl.  
  
"Girls are girls," another guy said, implying that she wasn't up to their level.  
  
"What are you saying???" Letty said menacingly approaching the guy.  
  
"Ok, Ok." Dom said to calm everybody down. "Ok. Let's do like this: She will race against other girls." He wanted to persuade the others of her skills: "Tran, your sister here?"  
  
"You stay away from my sister," Tran said suddenly with a warning tone.  
  
Dom snorted: "I want her to race against Anastasia."  
  
Tran grinned. "You're kidding me right? She will decimate your racer so much that she'll remember it for the rest of her life," Tran ended laughing sarcastically.  
  
"Wanna bet?" Dom insisted.  
  
"You serious," Tran said fascinated. "Hell, yeah! I'll make some good money tonight." Tran looked at Anastasia with contempt. She swallowed. She didn't like that man, for some unknown reason he made her feel uneasy.  
  
"How much?" Tran asked looking at Dom.  
  
"As usual, 2Gs buy in winner takes all but also if she wins, . . . . she'll race against guys."  
  
"Ok but let's make 'em 4Gs. I'm pretty sure of the victory" Tran replied arrogantly.  
  
"Done."  
  
All the guys bet on Tran's sister except for Dom who backed Anastasia. "You brave," Hector said to Dom.  
  
"No, I'm sure about her" Dom replied looking at Anastasia who now looked really nervous and uncertain. Feeling all the weight of the responsibilities on her. What am I going to do? she asked herself. Why did I want to race? I must be crazy!  
  
"Let's go," Tran announced. "Good luck guys," Dom said and all the guys went to their cars, curious to witness this new race.  
  
"Dom?" Anastasia called him softly.  
  
He turned to her and read all her anxiety in her eyes.  
  
"Calm down," he told her firmly staring in her eyes trying to infuse her the right concentration. He knew what she was feeling. He remembered he'd felt the same his first time. She breathed deeply.  
  
"Free your mind. You're ready. Don't think of anything else except your car." Dom told her and she nodded. Jesse joined them.  
  
"You have to feel it like a part of yourself" he continued.  
  
"When you start, measure out the accelerate, try to be progressive and not abrupt so that the tires won't slide," Jesse suggested. "Don't change your trajectory. Maybe you'll be forced to by the big starting push, but hold the wheel strongly and look straight on," Jesse continued.  
  
"Don't look at the others, just in front of you and don't look at the speedometers," Dom said.  
  
Annie nodded trying to memorize all their advices.  
  
"It's gonna be fast and speed . . . . just 10 seconds" Dom ended.  
  
"What are my odds?" Annie asked him suddenly. "I mean - honestly," she added. She needed him to trust her.  
  
Dom breathed deeply: "Listen, you're ready. I saw you. You can do it. Then - it's up to you . . . . . I can tell you everything, but after that - it's just you and your car . . . . " She nodded. "But you can do it," he added.  
  
"Unless she got NOS," Annie said. "I would have need it," she added thoughtfully shaking her head.  
  
"You have it," Jesse told her suddenly.  
  
"What?" Annie asked surprised looking alternatively to both of the guys.  
  
"Ok," Dom breathed then continued, "I didn't want you to use it yet, because you're not ready for it, but- I put a little quantity of NOS in your system . . . . It's a very small one. You'll be able to control it and the other will be scared by that, thinking that you have more". The other cars started to move making a big noise.  
  
"Fast, tell me how it works, what I have to do!" Anastasia asked in a hurry.  
  
"It will give you a very small push. So you'll have to use cunning. This is -not- the solution, just . . . . something more" Dom told her.  
  
"You have a small button on your wheel, it will give you a push of 20 km for less than 30 meters. You'll have to be very near to the finish line," Jesse explained her.  
  
"So you'll have to be at least in line with the other and then push it," Dom continued.  
  
"Once you push it, hold the wheel strongly or you might veer," Jesse said.  
  
"Ok, ok, ok." Annie felt the adrenaline growing inside her.  
  
"It's time to go," Dom said looking around.  
  
"Is that all?" Anastasia asked.  
  
He looked at her one last long time.  
  
"Show me if you're worthy. I'll wait for you at the finish line." He told her determined. She nodded. Then everybody jumped in their cars and got to their places.  
  
Annie stopped her car just before the starting line. She closed her eyes trying to focus on all the advices Dom and Jesse had given her. Outside the crowd shouted excitedly. The girl nearby her made her car growl loudly. Annie opened her eyes, looked at the girl then looked straight on. She didn't hear any more noise, like if she was suddenly alone. She made her car roar noisily, too. Hector gave the sign and both girls pushed down the accelerator.  
  
The wheels squealed but those of Annie less and even if the other girl took the leading of the race, thanks to her good start, Annie was immediately nearby her. Her car growled under her touch: "Let's see what you can do," Annie thought and accelerated. The other girl was tough and a very good driver too. After a short moment where Annie had taken the lead, now the other girl had joined her again using some part of her NOS and for a long while they ran side by side.  
  
"Come on," Dom muttered watching the race from the finish line. "Come on!"  
  
"Shit! They are fast!" Edwin said astonished.  
  
The other girl went toward her, she'd had to use some more NOS. Annie smirked. "Little bitchy aren't you?" She didn't have to let the other girl go on or she would have lost. She stepped on the accelerator and again caught up with the other girl. "Just a 10 seconds race," she breathed, "let's go" and finally she pushed her NOS button. Her car gave a jump forward literally, like a feline one. Annie tightened the hold on her wheel, and the world seemed to dissolve around her, now there was only the street. Soon she was near the other girl and overtook her car just in time to cross the finish line first and win the race. "WOOOW!" Annie shouted of joy.  
  
Slowly she throttled back until she reached a normal speed and then slowed down again until she stopped completely. She was still breathing hard trying to control the excitement, shaking badly still not understanding on what she'd just done.  
  
Jesse and Vince ran toward her. Jesse checked for the car while Vince literally took her off it to congratulate. It was like if he'd awoken her from a trance.  
  
"You won!" Vince said laughing happy in disbelief and then Bryan and Mia arrived.  
  
"This car is a monster," Jesse exclaimed in awe and Letty, who'd joined him, agreed. Incredible! She looked almost like happy of what had happened.  
  
Anastasia didn't really understand what was happening around her. Everything was going too fast for her strained nerves. Dom materialized in front of her. He just stared at her silently as if to check for her status. Anastasia still looked excited, confused and shaken. He knew what she was feeling, and discreetly took her hands. "No!" she whispered trying to free herself blushing. "I'm sweated"  
  
"I know," he replied very quietly, not caring about it. There was no irony in his voice. She was still trembling badly and her hands were cold.  
  
"So? How was it?" he asked her quietly.  
  
"Terrible and scary-" she paused and breathed deeply. He waited, already knowing what she was going to say. "and exciting," she admitted in a whisper.  
  
He grinned satisfied and nodded.  
  
"But I did a terrible start," she continued seriously.  
  
"It's ok for the first time. We'll work on that. Now let's go collect your winnings," Dom said, gently grabbing her elbow and pushing her through the acclaiming crowd.  
  
"You're someone," Hector said sincerely admiring her.  
  
"One day I'll teach you something," Edwin said in a superior tone.  
  
"Yeah . . . . maybe" Anastasia granted smiling satisfied.  
  
All the guys paid for the bet. Johnny Tran still looked incredulous. "You've been lucky," he said shaking his head while paying, then suddenly his tone changed. "You know-" he started more accommodating. "You could race for me, I'd treat you better than him," he ended with a seducing smile.  
  
Anastasia was going to answer but Dom spoke. "-She- races for -me-" he stated underlining certain words and placing his hands on her shoulders marking his property.  
  
"Whenever you want," Tran insisted raising an eyebrow shrugging as if Dom wasn't there. He stared directly at Annie and smiled.  
  
Dom tightened his grip on her shoulders.  
  
"Thank you. It's very kind and generous of you, but I'm fine here, for now," Annie replied diplomatically.  
  
Tran smiled and nodded: "See you soon Toretto" he ended turning and going away.  
  
"Yeah" Dom said softly through his teeth.  
  
  
  
-------------------------  
  
Three days later, at the garage.  
  
"I still can't believe it," Jesse said astonished: "She won against Tran's sister in her first race!" he continued thinking at loud voice.  
  
"She's really good," Vince said.  
  
"She's been lucky," Letty replied.  
  
"Maybe something more than lucky, since she had almost no NOS," Bryan commented.  
  
"Oh, c'mon everyone could do that!" Letty became unnerved at the way the team seemed to worship Annie.  
  
"Not a girl at her first race," Leon admitted.  
  
"Why don't you shut your fucking mouth?" Letty said loosing her patience.  
  
"Why you're so angry with her?" Dom asked frowning.  
  
"You should start to reason a little," Letty said heatedly.  
  
"Why?" he asked quietly. He hated when she talked to him in that way.  
  
"Listen! You know nothing about her! Even Jesse hasn't found a word about her past on the net! And one day here she comes: you give her work, you make her sleep in your home and she wants nothing back. A little bit bizarre don't you think?" Letty made him notice.  
  
"She hasn't done anything wrong. She follows the rules and she made me do some money," he said shrugging and the other guys nodded.  
  
"Oh! Come on! Only because she raced and won against Tran, you come here telling me she's clean! She's done nothing yet!" said Letty.  
  
Dom knew what Letty was feeling. She feels menaced in her female leading role, that's why she talks like that, he thought. "Also with the bar she's doing a fine job. Tomorrow she'll have to pay me," Dom continued quietly.  
  
"Why don't you try to think with your brain for one time?" Letty said acidly.  
  
"Why don't you tell me -your- problem Letty? What's up, uh?" Dom asked loosing his temper, staring at her defiantly. She was infuriated and glared at him with a hostile look. Was she still his Letty? Dom didn't recognize her.  
  
"Wanna talk to you privately," she suddenly told him going to his office followed by him, who closed the door behind him.  
  
The rest of the team heard them shouting and yelling at each other furiously for a long time, then she got out and yelled at him: "Fuck you! I told you how is she, don't say I didn't warn you" Letty ended shouting, walking outside.  
  
"Chicks!" Vince said in an attempt to calm Dom down.  
  
"What happened?" Bryan asked.  
  
"We just split up," Dom told him sharply, still upset. I've waited too long, he thought sadly, I should have done this earlier.  
  
  
  
------------------------------------- 


	17. ch17

CH.17  
  
  
  
The day after Anastasia came to Dominic with the money.  
  
"Here it is, 8000$ as promised," she said all satisfied.  
  
"You won," he stated calmly.  
  
"No, you and your sister won. That's the proof that the bar can work," she disagreed.  
  
"You did a good job," he continued.  
  
She smiled a little bitter. "You didn't trust me."  
  
"Never told you so."  
  
"But you thought it," she insisted.  
  
"Ok. I admit it, I wasn't sure if you could do it. I knew nothing about you," said Dom.  
  
"Mia did a big part of the job for I often wasn't there," Annie said changing argument quickly.  
  
Dom nodded: "But it was your idea."  
  
"It's your sister who did everything. She's strong and intelligent," Annie persisted.  
  
"Yeah, I know. That's why I want her to finish her studies rather than to work at the bar,"  
  
"Oh! Come on. That's a good thing. Let her do what she likes, you'll see, she won't stop studying," Annie said.  
  
"What makes you so sure about that?" Dom asked half closing his eyes.  
  
"Because she's like me," Annie said softly lost in her thoughts. She'd always been obliged to do what other people told her and only now, thanks to Torettos she'd discovered that she was able to take decisions by herself.  
  
He observed her face. Her mind was a hundred miles away from there, he would have liked to know where, to know more about her, but said nothing. "You can tell Mia that you'll have the money for the bar," Dom said finally taking Annie back to reality. She shook her head to chase away those thoughts. "Ok," Annie said smiling softly, trying to hide her feelings, "thank you."  
  
"And by the way-" Dom continued, "take this." He threw a small piece of cloth on the table toward her. "You earned it," he added nonchalantly.  
  
"What's that" she asked frowning while taking it in her hands and observing the cloth. It was fully colored. A drawing, no better a symbol. It was strangely familiar. But where had she seen it?  
  
"Sew it on the front seat," he ordered her shortly.  
  
She glanced at him. "Is this what I think it is?" she asked finally realizing what it was.  
  
He nodded. "Our symbol." "Why? Why now?" she inquired.  
  
"Last night was a test. You passed it quite well. Now, you're part of us. Of this team." Dom explained shrugging.  
  
She looked at him astonished and speechless for a moment. "Thank you," she then whispered honored.  
  
He grimaced.  
  
She couldn't help but still observe the small piece of cloth in her hand. "Quite well, uh?" she teased him raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Did I say so?" he grunted.  
  
"Yeah. You did," she repeated amused.  
  
"I had to be drunk," he replied suddenly. "Now go back to work before I change my mind," he ordered her half seriously, half ironically.  
  
She smiled and cheekily sent him a kiss in the air winking at him. "I like you too, sweetie," she told him in the most sweet and teasing tone she could, leaving him groaning.  
  
  
  
-----------------------  
  
  
  
Two days later.  
  
  
  
Dom was checking his bills in the garage's office, when he stopped and frowned, thinking. He checked the papers again and controlled the bills. "Mia!" he said loudly.  
  
She joined him. "You called me?"  
  
"Yeah . . . When was the last time that you controlled these invoices?" he asked her seriously.  
  
"Let me think. Last month I put them in order and until last week everything was just fine."  
  
"You sure?" Dom asked.  
  
She gave him a warning look.  
  
"Ok," he said thoughtfully.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"We have a loss of 2000$," Dom said worried.  
  
"You sure?" Mia repeated his own question.  
  
"I checked twice and cannot find 'em".  
  
"But how...?" Mia asked confused.  
  
"Dunno," Dom said. "It's never happened before."  
  
"Someone tried to ask Anastasia?" a voice came from the door.  
  
Dom and Mia both turned to see Letty appear.  
  
"Sorry, I was just walking in when I heard you talking," Letty continued.  
  
Mia looked at Dom confused.  
  
"Please Letty," Dom said sincerely, "leave us alone for a while."  
  
Letty nodded and disappeared.  
  
"You don't really think about that, do you?" Mia asked her brother.  
  
"Let me check it once again here. Then I'll figure something out," he told her still not wanting to believe that.  
  
Outside someone smiled and walked fast away just in time, because after a few seconds Mia got out of the office room.  
  
  
  
---------------------------------- 


	18. ch18

CH.18  
  
"Si. Non ti preoccupare, va tutto bene-" Annie was saying in Italian on the phone when Dom and the rest of the team came in and seated here and there in the bar.  
  
She saw him and motioned him to wait a second: "Ok, ti chiamo io tra qualche giorno, ti devo lasciare adesso. Ciao," Annie ended and hung up the phone.  
  
Meanwhile two tourists came in starting to talk French. Annie immediately helped them. "They're looking for a souvenir store" she turned to the team.  
  
"First on the left then second on the right," Mia said and Annie translated for them.  
  
"You speak French very well," Dom said. It wasn't a compliment, just an observation.  
  
"Why thank you," Annie replied staring at him.  
  
He looked so damn serious. "What's wrong?" Annie asked frowning.  
  
"You should tell me," Dom said raising an eyebrow.  
  
Annie blinked astonished. "What?" "Oh?- Oh! You mean about the call!" Annie said smiling in relief. "I'll give you the money back, don't worry." Letty laughed sarcastically.  
  
Annie looked at her for an explanation, then back at Dom.  
  
"No. You're not talking about that," Annie said seriously, breathing deeply, trying to find something in Dom's eyes, an answer. But he was impassible.  
  
"There's a loss of 2000$ in the garage cash," Dom said waiting for her reaction.  
  
Annie looked lost waiting for more but he was just looking at her. She didn't understand. "But no one enters there, your friends never go in there -" Annie reasoned.  
  
"No one except for me, Mia, the team - and you," Dom continued.  
  
She looked at him still not comprehending, then suddenly it struck her. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth in surprise: "No! You -" she couldn't believe it. "C'mon, don't look so surprised!" Letty said toughly, her arms folded, since Dom seemed undecided to act.  
  
But he gave her a warning glance and Letty, even if snorting, shut up.  
  
"So someone steals the money and you immediately think of me," Annie said ironically, nodding. "God. Where's ended all the trust in me?" she asked him quietly but her eyes flashed of rage.  
  
"We found a paper in your room about a bank. You sent some money - where? In Italy?" Dom inquired.  
  
"You've also been in my room," Annie said showing a calm that she hadn't inside. "Great!" she ended sarcastically. "That means truly trusting someone!"  
  
But Dom was staring at her very sincerely.  
  
"Oh, come on! Why should I steal the money?" Annie asked loosing her temper.  
  
"Who was on the phone now?" Letty asked gesturing at it with her head. "Your partner?"  
  
"Letty stay out of this!" Dom warned her so firmly that she didn't dare to reply.  
  
"I can't believe it." Annie shook her head in incredulity.  
  
"You know, Anastasia, this is one of those times when you need to be clear about what you say," Dom said in a menacing, but at the same time calm tone. "Who are you?" he asked her. "We know nothing about your life except that you come from Italy, that you speak a lot of languages pretty well and that you can run a bar," he continued.  
  
He was giving her a chance to explain. But how could she explain that she'd lied him since the beginning? That she wasn't what he thought she was? That in someway she'd taken him for a ride? "I - " she said hesitantly not knowing where to start or what to say.  
  
Someone was setting her up and she had no options other than to give in. He would have never trusted her, if she had told him the truth. She was lost. She looked at the team: Jesse and Leon waited for an explanation speechlessly, Bryan and Mia looked at her worried, knowing the truth but not able to talk. Vince was suspicious, it was in his nature. Letty was the only who looked at her almost content with what was happening. Why did she look so calm and not even a little surprised at all? Her gaze came back on Dom. He looked confused and hurt and she could do nothing to make him think differently.  
  
"Please, all of you - leave us alone" Dom said suddenly.  
  
Silently the team exited the bar leaving Dom and Annie staring at each other.  
  
He felt betrayed and she couldn't say anything to make him change his mind.  
  
"Thought that you weren't the kind of man who trusted appearances - then I was wrong," she said bitterly. "I'd never steal your money," she told him. Words, coming from her heart. "You have to - trust me." She was almost begging him.  
  
He stared at her angrily, a muscle twitching on his jaw. "Yeah? And why? Because of your pretty face? Why should I trust you? Basing on what? What proves?" His words were hard as stone.  
  
"You don't need proves. You - know me." Better than anybody else, she would have wanted to say. Her voice was a whisper as she looked in his eyes searching for any feeling, some kind of warmth, but she found only ice. He looked at her painfully. Heck! He wanted to trust her! But couldn't. Too many things had happened. He breathed deeply. "No. I don't know you at all," he replied coldly.  
  
It was a slap in her face.  
  
"I see." The only reply she found the strength to. She felt defeated. It was all useless. "I suppose that nothing will change even if I tell you that I haven't taken the money," Annie said quietly.  
  
"Why did you do it? Thought we had a deal," Dom said shrugging with contempt.  
  
"Looks like I've already had my trial and have been judged," she only said smiling bitterly.  
  
He looked at her and shook his head. She felt a stab in her heart. Don't do this to me! Don't look at me in such a way! She screamed inside her.  
  
"What will you do with me now?" she dared to ask him. "Will you call the police?" Words came automatically.  
  
"No," he simply said, "you'll pay me back by racing and working for me. You won't be allowed to touch any more money, and from now on you'll always be controlled," he said toughly as if reading a verdict. He was angry and disappointed, she could read it in his eyes. He was closing her out of his life: From now on she would be no more than an acquaintance.  
  
Her eyes burned. She blamed herself because what he thought was important to her. Because only now, she realized that she'd fallen in love with him. He was watching her so coldly that she would have liked to disappear. She had discovered her love for him the day he was banning her out of his life.  
  
The rest of the team, as if they'd felt it somehow, slowly came inside saying nothing. Letty glanced at her calmly. Annie looked at Letty knowing that she couldn't resist any longer. She was going to cry. Fuck! She would not cry in front of Letty. She would not give her that gratification! So she smiled forcedly and digging her nails in her skin, she swallowed her tears.  
  
Dom was still staring at her. "Don't worry, I won't make this mistake again," Annie ended in a whisper through her teeth.  
  
The telephone rang and Leon answered. He talked briefly then hung up. "Dom?" Leon called him. "It was Harry. He got the parts we ordered, we can go get them now."  
  
Dom slowly looked away from Annie as if it was a big effort and glanced at Leon nodding. "Let's go. Vince? You'll remain here with Mia and Annie," he ordered and went away.  
  
"Erm, think I'll stay outside Mia, if you need me just call," Vince said embarrassed and left the two girls alone.  
  
Annie swallowed and breathed deeply staring into space. His punishment had started. Dom didn't trust her any more. Why had love to be so painful?  
  
"Annie?" Mia called her. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Yeah," Annie said in a whisper maybe too hurriedly. Her voice trembled. Damn! I have to look strong.  
  
"Why didn't you tell him all the truth?" she asked her softly.  
  
"Think he would have trusted me?" Annie asked bitter.  
  
Mia stared at Annie and shook her head. She knew her brother. "If it someway matters: I trust you," Mia said gently. "Thank you," Annie whispered hugging Mia and big tears crossed her face.  
  
"You and my brother are so similar: so stubborn and proud," Mia said shaking her head.  
  
"Yeah," Annie admitted trying to smile while drying her tears, "that's maybe why we fight all the time." She breathed deeply. "Now, let's go back to work," she suddenly suggested as if to keep herself from thinking and started to reorder a freezer.  
  
That's why he's mad in love with you, Mia thought, watching Annie working.  
  
  
  
------------------------  
  
  
  
Since that day Dom had treated her very coldly, like if she'd never existed for him.  
  
He'd started to stay with Letty again. She was always around him. They were always exchanging caresses. They kissed and embraced insolently in front of everybody. Seemed like Dom wanted that, especially when Annie was there, paying attention that she was watching him and several times Annie had caught his look at her while he was touching Letty. This was the most terrible punishment for her.  
  
She knew she'd never had the right to want Dom, but she was in love with him and all that was terrible to support. Every day was worse. She slept always less because she passed her nights crying silently and also eating had become difficult. It was an unbearable situation.  
  
That night at the umpteenth party she felt terrible. Not being able to stand the music no more and after having talked with some girls out of politeness, she now stood alone on one side watching the others, no better, watching Dom and Letty holding one another in each other's arms. She'd also tried to talk with some other guys but, they unknowingly avoided her like she was public enemy number one. Suddenly, she felt like she was going to suffocate so she decided to go outside, sat on the step in front of the house with a bottle of Coke in her hand and sighed.  
  
She remained outside: looking at the sky, letting the delicate breeze of the night running on her skin.  
  
Inside the party was at its top, she heard people laugh and having fun, but fortunately the noise reached her softened.  
  
She felt so tired and alone at that moment. The team, the family that had welcomed her so warmly now seemed to have turned their backs on her. These sad thoughts overwhelmed her so much that tears appeared in her eyes. She felt so lonely . . .  
  
"Mom, Dad . . . I miss you" she said in a whisper and started to cry. "What do have I to do?" she asked herself while crying silently.  
  
"Firstly, you shouldn't cry," a male voice suddenly told her from the dark.  
  
She recognized it immediately, but she didn't turn, she didn't want him to see her crying.  
  
"May I sit?" he asked her.  
  
"It's a free country after all," Annie said breathing deeply to calm down.  
  
"Mmh, we're in a good mood tonight," he commented sitting next to her.  
  
"You dare to sit nearby me?" she asked him with a certain sarcasm through her tears. "Are you sure? I mean you're risking your own life, Bryan." Referring to the fact that everybody stayed far away from her.  
  
"I'll take the risk," he replied grinning.  
  
"You didn't like the party?" Annie asked still looking forward trying to regain her control.  
  
"I simply wanted a time out," he said taking a swallow of his Corona. Annie nodded looking at her bottle of Coke.  
  
"Oh! Want good news?" Bryan asked.  
  
"Yeah," replied Annie absently.  
  
"Henry has been arrested."  
  
"Who?" Annie said frowning and forcing her mind to work.  
  
"Henry, remember? The night of the truck," Bryan insisted.  
  
"You're kidding me," Annie said sadly smiling. At least one piece of good news on that horrible day.  
  
"No. He's been caught with all the loot. They were already searching for him for quite a long time," Bryan explained.  
  
"Who told you?" Annie asked flatly.  
  
"A friend of mine. A cop."  
  
"He gave away our names?" She asked him a bit concerned.  
  
"No, don't worry. It's over," Bryan reassured her.  
  
"Mmh." She should have felt relieved but she couldn't. Her mind, her feelings were all focused on Dom.  
  
"How are you?" Bryan suddenly asked her. "I've seen better days," she murmured with a bit of irony.  
  
"Annie?" Bryan insisted turning her to face him with a finger under her chin. He could see her even in the darkness. She was crying silently. Even like that she was stunning. Now he realized why Dom had fallen for her. Her big blue eyes full of tears had become green/ turquoise, with her long blond hair waving in the night breeze she looked like an angel: so lost, so innocent. It would have been even too easy to fall in love with her, he thought.  
  
"How do you think I feel Bryan?" she replied sharply staring at him, feeling her heart broken, her tears coming down wildly.  
  
He gently wiped one tear away with his finger.  
  
"Everybody thinks I'm a thief, when I've never stolen a penny in my whole life, or - almost," she ended uncertainly with a tart smile thinking at the truck. She looked far ahead again. "I would never do something that harms Dom," she told him decisive. " It's true, I've broken some rules, but I would never do something that might hurt him."  
  
"I know" Bryan said quietly.  
  
She turned to stare at him.  
  
"You love him?" he whispered watching her.  
  
"Is it so obvious?" she smiled sadly.  
  
He smiled. He would have wanted to touch her, hug her to reassure her that everything would be fine. But he could not. He wasn't allowed to.  
  
"I've been so stupid!" she continued shaking her head: "I came here to show that I'm worthy and what do I do? I fall in love with an engaged man! How pathetic I am!" she ended emphatically angry with herself.  
  
"No," Bryan said. She frowned waiting for his explanation.  
  
"Maybe you were destined to meet him like that," Bryan said shrugging.  
  
"Like what? Engaged? I was destined to come and separate a couple?? Come on!" She shook her head desperately.  
  
He looked at her and couldn't reply. He barely shook his head. If she only knew how things really were between those two . . . .  
  
"Why do things have to be so complicated?" she sighed feeling so confused.  
  
"You know I broke some rules with the Torettos, too. But they pardoned me." He paused: "Why don't you talk to him?" Bryan insisted.  
  
"It would be useless. Did you see him? How he treats me?" she said indicating the house. "I don't exist as far as he's concerned," she declared with her look lost in space. This was the worst thing that made her crazy.  
  
Bryan observed her. Her inner pain. He lifted his hand - how he wanted to touch her now. But then, his hand fell down. "He loves you," he only said after a while.  
  
She turned to look at him: "Oh, yeah! That's why he's sitting on the sofa taking care of Letty," she replied sarcastically shrugging: "It's clear! He treats me like that because he loves me! Why else?"  
  
"It's because, you know Dom needs some time to find out what he really wants," he said.  
  
"C'mon Bryan, we both did things that were wrong. And we come from another world than the Torettos. You know how things go, so let's face the truth. Dom and I are too different. He's with Letty and she's perfect for him." She stopped.  
  
For a long moment they remained silent. Then she sighed. "So why do I feel so terrible now?" she whispered almost to herself watching the sky.  
  
"Be patient. Time will tell," Bryan said simply.  
  
"Do I have any choice?" Annie turned to look at him.  
  
He stared at her deep blue eyes for a long moment but didn't reply. She was right.  
  
"What will you do?" He suddenly asked her.  
  
"Don't know yet. But I'll figure something out," she replied thoughtfully.  
  
"If you need anything you can count on me."  
  
She turned to look at him. "Thank you Bryan. You and Mia are my only true friends," Annie said sincerely, words coming from her heart spontaneously. She hugged him strongly as if to find the strength she needed.  
  
"Don't worry, everything will be fine," Bryan said still holding her tightly.  
  
But someone inside the house had watched the scene and frowned. Dom angrily took a swallow of his beer and went back to the party.  
  
  
  
------------------------------ 


	19. ch19

A/n: Here I am girls with new chapters! Hope you'll like them. (review me!!) I just wanted to thank really Kentucka for her great work and the big help she's giving me. You're great! (  
CH.19  
"Prepare yourself. Tonight you'll race," Dom announced to Annie arriving at the bar that morning.  
  
She nodded. That's how he treated her. When he talked to her it was only for sharp commands. He was cold and tough as well as the rest of the team and she had no choice than to obey. There was nothing to dwell upon, but to deal with.  
  
Dom kissed his sister and went sitting on his usual place at the bar followed by his team without even giving Anastasia a second look.  
  
Soft music filled the air. Now the bar worked and some people were seated outside under the sunshade drinking something.  
  
"Dom wants a beer," Vince came to tell her.  
  
"Yes, I finish the two costumers outside and - "  
  
"He said now," Vince interrupted her toughly.  
  
She breathed deeply. "I'm coming," she whispered submissive.  
  
Letty seated nearby Dom with his arm around her shoulder talking with Jesse. She looked so relaxed now. Annie's mood got worse at that scene. She arrived at the table with Dom's beer. He raised his head up frowning at her sight.  
  
"Are you all right?" he asked her in a neutral tone.  
  
She lifted her eyes and met his. She looked tired. Her eyes were reddened because of the sleepless nights and the hidden weeping in her room. "I'll be ready for tonight," she replied simply.  
  
"He asked you something else," Vince insisted.  
  
"Why don't you give her a break," Bryan spoke, knowing Annie's mood.  
  
"Why don't you shut your fucking mouth?" Vince replied standing up going to hit Bryan.  
  
"Whenever you want;" answered Bryan taking him up on the challenge, not scared at all.  
  
"Oh. Oh." Dom warned them, motioning with his hand to sit down, not wanting to make a scene in front of the costumers.  
  
"It's ok Bryan, it's ok. Really." Annie said trying to calm the guys down: "I'm fine Dom. Don't worry," she finally answered Dom's question. "You won't waste your money," she added sharply.  
  
"Rumor has it that everybody wants to race against you," Letty said. "You're the one to beat, after Dom . . . and me," she ended with a defiant look.  
  
Annie looked at her but decided to not take her up on the challenge. "Well that's a good thing. So Dom will make lot of money with me and I'll be able to pay my debt sooner," Annie said amenable.  
  
"And then you'll go back home," Letty remembered her.  
  
It was the truth, but for someway this hurt Annie deeply and even Dom frowned. "Yes," Annie said simply in a low tone. "Sorry, I got some costumers now," she ended softly wanting to get away from them.  
  
"Mia please, can you see the costumers? I go work on the backyard," Annie asked. Mia nodded.  
  
She wanted to be alone, she felt her body trembling. It was always the same when she was nearby Dom. He made her always feel like that, even now that he treated her so coldly.  
  
She went to the backyard, opening some cartons, rearranging things. What she was doing was heavy work, but she was glad about that. She would rather have her back broken than ask them for help. "She didn't want them to see her weaker than what she really felt.". Plus, some good hard work would hopefully help her to forget Letty's words . . . Dom's detached and cold stare. An aching pain started in the middle of her chest. She dried the sweat from her forehead feeling her eyes burning with tears. She swallowed. Stupid. Don't cry. Don't you dare.  
  
"Heck! That's heavy!" Annie said trying to lift up a tuna carton, when it suddenly fell on the floor and only thanks to a swift move she made, she was able to avoid it before it could crush her feet. "Shit!"  
  
"Why don't you ask for help?" Dom's low voice from behind made her start. "It's no shame," he added frowning at the scene.  
  
She turned to face him. Heck! She hadn't heard him arrive. He calmly leaned against the jamb of the door, looking severely at her, arms crossed over his chest. "Or are you too proud to do it?"  
  
"Since how long have you stood there?" Annie asked forcing herself to look controlled.  
  
"Long enough to see you doing stupid things," he replied sharply walking slowly inside the small backyard and filling it completely with his magnetism.  
  
"I don't need help," Annie stated looking defiantly at him, her hands on her waist.  
  
"You look tired," Dom said quietly half closing his eyes.  
  
"You look like you're wasting my time," Annie retorted toughly.  
  
"Watch your mouth."  
  
"Otherwise? What you could do to me? Raising my debt? Cutting me up alive?" she teased him sarcastically, loosing her control. All her tension was surfacing.  
  
"Told you to watch your mouth," he replied approaching menacingly.  
  
"Fuck you!" Annie said angry. She instinctively made a step back in the small backyard but she stumbled over the dropped carton and she would have fallen down if Dom hadn't caught her in time. She struggled to get free from his hold.  
  
"Leave me," Annie said tugging on him until he let her go. She turned her back on him. The skin burned where he'd touched her. "Leave me alone," she insisted in the toughest tone she could muster. She tried to calm down, to keep her fastened breath in check even if it was hard. But she had to look controlled. Cold.  
  
No more noise. Maybe he was gone. She didn't dare to turn and look.  
  
Suddenly she felt herself being grabbed by a strong hand on her waist and another covering her mouth. She tried to free herself but couldn't.  
  
"I hate you," Dom whispered nearby her ear while she still struggled against his hold unsuccessfully, but his warmth, his big arms around her body, his voice. made her shiver. It was a torture. His hand left her mouth and grabbed her arm to stop her fighting. "I hate you because when I try to forget you, to move away from you - I can't . You're under my skin, you're inside me," he whispered almost angrily.  
  
"Leave me," she repeated through her teeth but her strength was abandoning her.  
  
He roughly turned her to face him and kissed her, so long, so passionate, his tongue forcing its way to hers, exploring her mouth brutally, punishing her.  
  
When he left her she was breathless, dazed. Her mind had stopped to work properly and she felt her head spinning.  
  
"Don't you dare to contradict me no more," he told her toughly.  
  
"Don't you dare to give me orders, you didn't buy me at the slave trade!" Annie replied angrily.  
  
"You'll do what I say."  
  
"Leave me!"  
  
"Understand?" Dom tightened his hold, not caring about what she was saying and staring at her deeply.  
  
"Can't . . . breath!" she whispered crushed against him. Her feet barely touched the floor.  
  
"Understand?" he repeated firmly wanting her to answer and shaking her a little.  
  
She nodded. "Yes," she agreed intimidated. "Yes!"  
  
He finally freed her, observing her coldly. For a while she thought he wanted to tell her more, but when he talked, "Be ready for tonight," was all he said. She simply nodded still lightly confused, and he left her alone.  
  
Annie leaned against the doorjamb feeling her legs give. She shook badly. She hated him because he made her always feel so bad, because she loved him and this was a mistake. So wrong. Don't cry Annie, don't cry, she repeated to herself in vain. She couldn't go on like this, she had to find a solution . . .  
--------------------------------- 


	20. ch20

CH.20  
  
That night.  
They arrived when all the crowd had already come together. It was always the same: Dom wanted to be the last and make his triumphal entrance.  
  
Everybody had to see him, admire him. He stepped out of his car, and he was immediately surrounded by all his friends. He scanned the crowd to see with whom the race could be. Then, as usual, the leaders of the other teams came up to him.  
  
"Harry, Hector, Edwin . . . " Dom greeted all of them.  
  
"Wassup, man?" Hector said smiling like the others and giving him a head up gesture.  
  
"You know, your new racer made people talk a lot," Edwin said.  
  
"Yeah." Dom grinned satisfied. He knew it and was proud of Anastasia.  
  
"And there are some guys come to beat her," Harry added.  
  
"You're kidding me?" Dom said a bit surprised. He didn't expect such an immediate answer, but she was a girl and all the guys wanted to give her a "racing" lesson. He smiled.  
  
"They are just there," Hector said.  
  
Dom watched the three men waiting for Anastasia. "Well, they'll have to pay a lot, if they want to race against her. I don't waste my time for nothing," Dom said smiling arrogantly.  
  
"Where's she?" Hector asked.  
  
"With Mia," Dom replied briefly.  
  
"So? What's up for tonight?" Edwin asked.  
  
Dom glanced at the men: "Let's do it like this . . . "  
  
After 10 minutes Dom joined Mia and Annie. "You're gonna race," he told her, "against them." He motioned with his head at the three guys who were looking at her chuckling.  
  
"Listen. Men can be really stupid sometimes," Dom added staring at her seriously. Was there a second meaning to that? Was he excusing himself for what had happened that afternoon? "This is different. Last time was just an essay. This one is serious. This is * not * going to be a piece of cake," he continued warning her. "They'll give you a lot of trouble." She nodded. "Do your race and don't think of them, just look forward." He paused. "You ready?" he asked her.  
  
"Heck, yeah!" Annie said determined. It was business now.  
  
Dom nodded: "Ok, smoke'em." It was an order.  
  
She raced against them and won. It'd been hard however because at the starting line one of them had tried to push her outside, but she'd won and now the crowd was cheering her name. Anyway she didn't care of all those people. She was like a robot: she was doing her job and stop. Nothing else mattered. So she leaned against her car, arm crossed on her chest, too taken by her dark thoughts.  
  
Suddenly a big guy joined her. "You know, I can beat you," he stated arrogantly.  
  
"Yeah?" she replied annoyed not looking at him, her mind definitely somewhere else.  
  
"Why don't you race with someone of your level instead of that shit?" the man insisted.  
  
Another wannabe, Annie thought. "Listen, if you wanna race, you have to be serious. My car against $4,000. Winner takes all," she said defiantly. She didn't really mean to provoke him, just to discourage him. It was a waste of time.  
  
"Ok. Here's the money," the man declared promptly.  
  
She finally turned to look at him as if he was an alien that just landed. "Got the money. Let's race," he repeated as she looked at him blinking to realize what he'd just said. "You afraid?" he smiled.  
  
So he was serious. She shook her head slowly.  
  
She'd never personally negotiated a bet before. Dom had always done it for her and maybe what she was doing was wrong but - hey! This was a good sum of money. She needed it. $4,000! She would be able to give Dom the money back, at least the one of the theft.  
  
Not a bad idea. She thought quickly, quiet for a while. Not bad at all. She saw Mia in the crowd and called her. The girl nodded and joined her.  
  
"Can you keep the money?" Annie asked her.  
  
"What money?" Mia gave her a questioning look.  
  
"The one of the race. I'm gonna race," she told her.  
  
"And Dom?"  
  
"No. This is just me," Annie explained her.  
  
"Annie - you sure?" Mia said hesitantly half closing her eyes.  
  
"Yes, I am," she replied convinced, her eyes shining now. Mia wasn't too happy about that but accepted.  
  
The race was fast but tough. Annie drove good and with a little shot of NOS, she won.  
  
"You lucky," the man said at the end of the race shacking her hand. "No. I'm good," Annie replied arrogantly, smiling satisfied.  
  
"And disobedient," a husky voice came from behind her when the other man was gone. She knew it was Dom. She turned to look at him.  
  
"Why did you do it without asking me before," he asked her quietly . He didn't seem angry. It was just a question.  
  
"Because I wanted and felt it," she replied proudly lifting her chin up defiantly and before he could talk, Annie said: "Here, take that," giving him a small roll of bills.  
  
"What's that?" he asked frowning while taking it.  
  
"They money of the theft. $4,000 exactly," she said sharply waiting for his reaction.  
  
"So you did it?" he asked her in a quiet tone raising an eyebrow, watching her attentively.  
  
"No. I didn't." Her tone was decisive and tough. "But it doesn't matter anymore," she said shrugging. Her eyes were cold. She was serious. He slowly nodded his agreement and put the money in his pocket.  
  
"Dom!" Hector called him. "We need you."  
  
Dom observed her still for a few seconds with a mysterious look then left her alone.  
  
"You won," Letty said joining Annie after a while. She looked so sure of herself. "But things will never change," she continued, "he still thinks you're a thief." Looking at her with open hostility.  
  
"What do you want Letty? "Annie said snorting.  
  
"He will never be yours," Letty continued following the line of her thoughts.  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?" Annie said angrily.  
  
"Now you know what it feels like to be pushed away, to be ignored, to be considered a bitch, not to be trusted," Letty said narrowing her eyes, cold anger in her voice.  
  
"What?" Annie turned to look at her and tilted her head to one side.  
  
"How does it feel Anastasia?" Letty insisted defiantly with an evil smile.  
  
"You did it!" Annie said. Her eyes widened as realization hit her. Everything was so damn clear now. "* You * stole the money, didn't you?" Annie asked directly recognizing how blind she'd been not to understand that Letty was behind of all this.  
  
"You know? I organized everything so good, that he trusted it immediately."  
  
"Bitch!" Annie burst out angrily.  
  
"Call me whatever you want hon. Things won't change," Letty replied arrogantly.  
  
Annie couldn't believe all that: "Why?" she asked exasperated.  
  
"Oh? You really don't know?"  
  
"You never could stand me. What's wrong with me?" Annie said bitterly.  
  
"You! You with your goody-goody look, your accent, your culture - " Letty said shaking her head scornful. "Thought you could come here and change everything? Become his favorite - the one! Vince wasn't enough - no!!! You wanted him!" Letty said furiously in an emphasized rancorous tone.  
  
"Look, you're wrong, I've never wanted- "  
  
"Shut up! You little bitch! Faded copy of a girl! Stop playing the innocent with me, I know you!" Letty said in a louder tone.  
  
"Oh, you know me?" Annie replied sarcastically, raising an eyebrow: "You know nothing about me!" She kept her voice controlled, measuring her look with Letty.  
  
"You know, he couldn't believe that you did such a disgraceful thing," Letty said satisfied of her plan. "But I convinced him," she continued enigmatically: "And when he'll know what you did with Bryan . He won't even want to hear your name anymore!" Letty said taking a pause. Annie looked at her bewildered. She never imagined Letty would be able to pull off a sneaky plan like  
  
this. "Unless - " Letty suddenly added.  
  
"What?" Annie asked frowning. Things were going too fast.  
  
"You leave," Letty ended smiling evilly.  
  
Annie opened her mouth and closed it again, momentarily speechless.  
  
"Leave and I promise you that I won't tell him the truth."  
  
"But why - "  
  
Letty's evil smile became larger: "Miss Walker, I'll send you back home. We don't need you. You're nothing, - even as a racer!" Letty ended in a firm, menacing low tone.  
  
Annie raised an eyebrow in surprise but inside she shivered of fear. Mia was right, Letty could be very dangerous.  
  
"So why don't we race?" Annie suddenly found herself proposing.  
  
"I can have you easily," Letty replied arrogantly.  
  
"So, let's race!" Annie encouraged her.  
  
"What do you wanna bet? Money?" Letty asked in a mockery tone, pretending not to be interested but Annie saw from her eyes that she was intrigued.  
  
"No. Something more interesting," Annie started to say mysteriously.  
  
"What?"  
  
"If I win, you'll have to tell Dom the whole truth about the theft," Annie explained defiantly. She wasn't sure that Letty would accept.  
  
"Don't know - " Letty started to say uncertain.  
  
"C'mon!" Annie said, "or maybe . . . you're just a wannabe, maybe you're not so great as you pretend to be. . . ." she teased her.  
  
Letty looked at her thoughtfully. She wasn't sure. Annie could read it in her eyes.  
  
"I'll have you," Letty finally declared doggedly: "And I'll give you the biggest humiliation of your life - but if I win . . . You have to leave. Tonight. Without another word," Letty ended smiling satisfied.  
  
Annie gulped. Leave tonight . . . She was speechless. No. She shouldn't think about that. She wouldn't lose. She had to believe it.  
  
"What?" Letty asked in a mockery tone watching her evidently surprised reaction. "You afraid?"  
  
Her mind screamed at her not to accept. She could still try to talk with Dom and tell him everything. No. He would never have trusted her. The stake was too high but she had no choice. I'll win, she repeated mentally. I'm gonna win.  
  
She breathed deeply and looked at Letty. "Ok. Let's race," Annie finally said determined.  
----------------------  
Mia came to her: "Where are you going?" she asked while following Annie.  
  
"Racing," Annie simply answered concentrated.  
  
"With who?" Mia asked frowning.  
  
"Letty," Annie said through her teeth while making her way through the crowd.  
  
Mia was almost running after her: "What??? Dom knows that?"  
  
"Not yet."  
  
"What did you bet?" Mia asked.  
  
"The truth," Annie simply replied.  
  
Mia finally stopped her grabbing her arm. "And if you lose?" she stared at her seriously.  
  
Annie looked back at her friend. "I'll leave," she finally said lowering her tone.  
  
"Nooo!" Mia shouted vehemently. "Why did you accept? Annie? Annie!" Mia was calling her again because Annie had started walking again to join her car.  
  
"I had no choice. She threatened she would tell Dom the truth."  
  
"And what is the problem?" Mia asked. "He loves you, he'll trust you."  
  
"He will - never - trust me after what has happened and you know that. I had no choice, I was looking for a solution and here I have it: It's the right thing to do," Annie explained very quietly as if it was obvious what she was saying.  
  
"No!! You don't understand!!! Letty is a very good racer, she's skilful," Mia said very worried.  
  
"Me too," Annie replied stubbornly.  
  
"No, what you refuse to understand is that she has raced for a lot of time and she knows all the tricks to win! Fair and . . . unfair."  
  
"I'm gonna win," Annie repeated now standing next to her car. Letty had already moved.  
  
"And if- " Mia couldn't say it aloud.  
  
"It won't happen," Annie sighed. "Please Mia, trust me. Please. It's the right thing to do," Annie tried to convince her friend. And herself. Madness. It was madness. She knew it and she had no choice.  
  
"And Dom? Don't you think about him? What if - it happens?" Mia said as a last desperate attempt to make her change her mind.  
  
Annie stopped for a while looking into space. An aching pain exploded in her chest at those words. Dom. Dom. No, I don't have to think about that. Not now. Free your mind. Blank. Concentrate.  
  
She turned to stare at Mia frowning seriously: " I already lost him," she said sharply. Her voice cold. Her voice cold, sounding like it came from far away, wherever her mind  
  
had wandered. "No. You- " Mia was saying but Annie had already jumped in her car and was moving to reach the starting line. "You don't understand. He loves you," Mia muttered staring at the black Subaru.  
  
Annie reached Letty at the starting line. They looked at each other feeling the tension growing inside them. She breathed deeply looking ahead. Concentrate. You can do it. You can, she repeated to herself.  
  
"Who's racing now?" Dom asked absently at the finish line watching two cars preparing to race.  
  
"Oh, you don't know man?" Edwin asked emphasized.  
  
Dom shook his head.  
  
"The two chicks of your team," Edwin explained.  
  
"Who?" Dom asked frowning: " Mia and Annie?" he said in a kidding tone as if it was absurd.  
  
"No, man! Anastasia and Letty!" Edwin ended all excited.  
  
"What?" Dom said suddenly serious.  
  
"Heck, yeah! It's gonna be interesting!!" Edwin said, who hadn't noticed Dom change of mood.  
  
"No, shit!" muttered Dom through his teeth: "Bryan! Bryan!" he shouted searching his friend in the crowd.  
  
"Yeah, man?" Bryan reached him.  
  
"Annie and Letty are preparing to race. You gotta stop' em!" Dom said worried.  
  
"But . . . how?" Bryan asked confused.  
  
"Find a way and stop them!!!" Dom yelled back at him.  
  
Bryan picked up his phone and called Hector on the other side of the street. "Yo man? Stop the race!"  
  
"What????" Hector was shouting because of the noise of the people and of the engines.  
  
"*Stop the race!!!*"  
  
"Too late, man! It's already started!"  
  
Bryan lifted his head up meeting Dom's eyes and shook his head. "Fuck!" Dom cried out, his fist connecting with the top of his Mazda.  
  
Annie and Letty pushed the accelerator all the way down, the exact moment that Hector gave the sign. The tires of the cars smoked leaving trails on the asphalt. The race had begun.  
  
Letty and Annie did a great part of the race side by side, no one of them taking the lead.  
  
"Oh, Shit! I've never seen something like that!" Edwin said astonished.  
  
Dom was too concentrated to talk.  
  
Bryan and Mia looked almost mesmerized at the scene in front of them: the two cars running at a crazy speed.  
  
"Ok, enough game, let's talk seriously!" Letty said preparing herself for a shot of NOS. Annie did the same.  
  
"See ya!" Letty said pushing the NOS button on her wheel but nothing happened: "Shit! I forgot to open the NOS valve before!" Letty shouted worried. Annie pushed her NOS button in that moment, preparing herself for the big push but - nothing happened. "Oh no! Shit!" Annie pushed it again and again but nothing. She couldn't believe it: she'd used it up in the races before!  
  
Both cars where still side by side, running incredibly fast.  
  
"Ok. Let's see what you do, if I do - this!" Letty said with an evil smile and inch by inch moved her car towards that of Annie, gradually forcing her out of the street.  
  
"What the heck . . . ???" Annie grew scared at the sight of Letty's car. She didn't want to take her foot off the accelerator but Letty was closing in on her and now they were running inches from each other. One wrong movement and it would have been a disaster. Then Letty came closer, touching her lightly.  
  
Watching that scene Dom closed his eyes and turned his head.  
  
"Bitch!!!" Annie shouted watching Letty approaching more and more and trying to control her car in order to keep it on the street. Then she glanced in front of her and suddenly froze. In front of her, not too far away, there was a parked car between the others protruding on the street and Letty was pushing her against that one at a crazy speed.  
  
Less than a hundred meters to the impact.  
  
Annie tried to move away from there, but nothing. Letty was inexorably pushing her towards that car.  
  
Fifty meters.  
  
It was so near. Too near. "Fuck!" Annie shouted. Finally she was forced to leave the accelerator and touch the brakes to decrease the speed and with a fast swift movement of the wheel she put her car behind Letty's, just in time to avoid the parked vehicle. This allowed Letty to take the lead of the race just the second before her front wheels crossed the finish line, and win. They both slowed down their speed, until they stopped completely. The crowd immediately came to give them their tribute. No one had ever seen something like that before.  
  
"Oh, Dom your racers got a bloody courage!" Edwin said clapping his hands and joining the two girls. Dom didn't reply, only breathed deeply. "Then, thinking about what had just happened he frowned, becoming furious at the girls' giddiness."  
  
Both girls got out of the cars. Annie slammed her car's door and furiously reached Letty: " You closed in on me! It was dangerous! It's unfair!" she yelled.  
  
Letty's lips bent in an evil smile. "No one said it would be fair, . . . hon," she replied satisfied.  
  
Meanwhile Bryan and Mia had joined Annie still shocked: " Annie? You all right??" they asked worried. Annie wasn't listening to them. "But- " Annie said to Letty still not believing what had happened.  
  
"You lost," Letty simply said in a low decisive tone, remembering her of the bet. She paused as she noticed that Hector, Dom and Edwin had arrived.  
  
"Scared wannabe! How did you get into this team? A few turns on the couch? You hardly kept your car under control!" Letty said scornfully in the middle of the cheering crowd loudly.  
  
They all shut up to listen to her. It was her moment: she was the winner and she would take her revenge. Annie stared at her with a defeated and angry look. She couldn't talk.  
  
"Girl, you're not determined enough to *ever* win against me!" Letty raised an eyebrow and watched Annie closely, to see if she got the double meaning. "Babe, you're not worth the trouble we had with you."  
  
Dom watched the scene silently and impassive. Letty was humiliating her towards everybody.  
  
"You've been weighed - " Letty said slowly circling Annie, "measured . . . and found wanting, . . . hon!" she ended underlining the last word. There was nothing friendly in it. She looked Annie up and down. " In what world could you have ever beaten me?" Letty said triumphal and the crowd cheered loudly . Then she approached Annie in the middle of all this commotion and whispered in her ear: "Told you, I would send you back home." She paused. "Go lick your wounds somewhere else, baby!" She ordered sharply in a low tone that didn't admit reply.  
  
Annie stared at Letty feeling the bitter sensation of defeat and anger . . . for herself. It was more than a simple lost race. She'd lost even her honor. She swallowed back her tears. Don't give her the satisfaction of seeing you crying!  
  
"Cops! Cops! Cops!" someone suddenly shouted and everybody ran to their cars and drove away.  
  
For a few seconds Annie met Dom's stare. His one was indecipherable, then he slowly shook his head in disapproval. She was speechless. She would have wanted to tell him everything, tell him how much in love she was, but she couldn't. She'd lost. So while everybody was running here and there around them she was only able to mouth him: "Sorry". She gulped, for a moment still staring at those deep dark eyes observing her, then she turned, jumped in her car and fast moved away from there, tears crossing her face, her heart painfully broken.  
---------------------------------- 


	21. ch21

CH.21  
They all arrived at home at the same time.  
  
"You and you. With me in the kitchen. Immediately," Dom ordered Annie and Letty sharply. He was more than angry: he was furious. The others said nothing, just exchanged concerned looks, knowing too well how terrible Dom's fury could be.  
  
"Dom- " Mia tried uncertainly but he stopped her with a cold glare and she didn't insist. Letty, Annie and Dom got in the room and he closed the door behind him. The rest of the team went in the drawing room, a little bit worried about the two girls.  
  
"So? Who's the one to start?" Dom asked looking menacingly alternatively at the two girls.  
  
Annie and Letty both looked at their feet not having the courage to talk, not even to look at him.  
  
"Who, the heck told you to do that?" he yelled at them again. They didn't answer.  
  
"You knew Letty. You knew the rules!" he told her angrily pointing his finger at the girl who was now staring at him toughly.  
  
"I'm sorry," Letty said simply in an apologetic tone, but she wasn't too worried and sorry.  
  
"And you!" Dom said turning to look at Annie: "You!!! Be careful! You're on a razor thin edge!" Better be - very - careful!" he warned her menacingly. She lifted her eyes and met his furious gaze.  
  
"I'm sorry, Dom. It won't happen again. I promise," she briefly replied coldly. She was truly sorry but for other reason.  
  
"It'd better not, for both of you. I don't want to have problems." Dom said in a low tone. "I - I don't know. You - you're just silly girls!" he said still not understanding the reason of what they'd just done. He breathed deeply a few times to calm himself down and passed a hand over his shaved head.  
  
"Is that all?" Letty asked annoyed. He came near to her, his face inches from hers, very angry: "- Yes -, it's all for now," he hissed through his teeth furiously underlining each word. "You can go."  
  
Letty didn't wait and walked out, but when she passed nearby Annie, she slowed down, gave her a warning look and mouthed: "tonight," then walked out of the room.  
  
Annie was going to do the same, when Dom's voice coming from behind her made her stop. "You almost had her."  
  
She stopped grimacing. "You said it: almost," Annie replied bitterly looking into space.  
  
"It was only for an inch- " he insisted. He couldn't believe his words . . . Why was he encouraging her? Where was the usual arrogant asshole? He was surprised of himself.  
  
Annie shook her head.  
  
"Only you've been more smart," he added, "and understood the situation."  
  
She smiled cynically and turned to look at him. "You know, Toretto. Losing is losing, it doesn't matter if it's by an inch or a mile - and tonight I lost," she ended bitterly, leaving him  
  
dumbfounded, alone, thinking about her words.  
  
Annie joined Mia and Bryan. "So? What happened?" Mia wanted to know. He didn't like our little race," Annie said flatly, shrugging.  
  
"Watch Letty, she looks so happy even after what she's done," Mia noticed. Letty was laughing with Vince.  
  
Annie shook her head.  
  
"What will you do now?" Bryan asked suddenly.  
  
"I lost our bet," Annie said still staring at Letty. "Gotta go," she ended in a breath.  
  
"No! You can't do that!" Mia said worried. "It's stupid, and Dom will never accept it!"  
  
"Dom doesn't know."  
  
"Oh, great! That's a smart idea! He'll be mad when he'll discover it!" Mia said agitated.  
  
"He'll also be mad when Letty tells him about the truck," Annie made her notice. Mia shook her head sorry.  
  
"Look. I have no choice. I lost my bet. It's better like that. If I go away she won't tell about it," Annie explained.  
  
"What an asshole!" Mia said frustrated.  
  
"It'll be fine, don't worry," Annie said hugging her friend.  
  
"What will you do, now?" Bryan repeated.  
  
"I got some money. I'll find another work somewhere else," Annie explained. "Who would have ever imagined when I arrived here, that things would go this way?" Annie said shaking her head bitterly almost thinking at loud voice.  
  
"So we won't see you again," Bryan said: "Is it a definite goodbye?" he asked her raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Who knows?" Annie replied shrugging, trying to play down the moment: "Maybe one day. Maybe . . . " she said smiling calmly, "but it'll have to pass some time before . . ." she ended thoughtfully. "Oh, Annie!!" Mia said hugging her: "I'm sorry!" She felt the need to say that.  
  
"About what?" Annie asked. "- I - should excuse myself for all the problems I gave you. Ok, now let's stop with all this or I'll start to cry and the others will suspect something" Annie announced to end that dangerous conversation.  
  
"Ok, ok!!" Mia said breathing deeply.  
  
Another five seconds and she would have cried in front of them. It was heart-wrenching, they'd become such good friends, and she loved them.  
  
Dom was seated on the sofa drinking his beer with Letty on his lap. He was relaxed now, when he noticed Annie talking with Mia and Bryan. What took his attention, was the tone of their conversation. It was very concerned and serious. Mia hugged Annie a couple of times. It was like - he frowned more interested. He couldn't hear what they were saying but it looked like they were taking leave. Then Annie said something and Mia smiled reluctantly. She looked upset. What was happening? He forced himself to look away. He shook his head; what a stupid idea he'd had! He surely had misunderstood the whole thing. He was becoming paranoid. Why had he thought about that? He was only tired of the day. It had to be this. Anyway he'd been too hard with Annie, he thought. The next day he would talk to her and explain the reason of his anger. He tried to chase away those thoughts, but a strange sense of uneasiness pervaded him.  
--------------------------------------  
She waited until she didn't hear any more noise in the house, then silently got out of her room and looked around. It was dark, they all were sleeping.  
  
She remained still for a while on the edge of her room listening to the silence and glancing at her bedroom one last time. She'd had fun with them.. Then she grabbed her things and silently went downstairs.  
  
She was going to exit when she saw something moving in the dark. She stopped and held her breath scared that someone had discovered her. Bryan appeared from the dark with a glass of water. He was silently observing her. She felt dying under his look.  
  
"Is this your choice then?" he asked her in such a low tone that she wasn't sure he'd talked or she'd just imagined it.  
  
She silently nodded. "I have to."  
  
"No, you don't," he insisted approaching.  
  
"Bryan-" she started to say but he stopped her with a gesture of his hand. "Ush".  
  
They were inches from each other. He gently took away a lock from her face and barely smiled. "We'll miss you".  
  
"Oh-" said Annie and hugged him strongly tears crossing her face wildly.  
  
He held her tightly to himself and caressed her hair trying to calm her. Then he detached from her enough to look deeply in her eyes. With his fingers he dried her tears away. They looked at each other for a long moment silently. They didn't need words. Then, without even perceiving it, he lightly, gently kissed her on her lips. So brief, so . . . haunting. When he left her, he gently caressed her jaw. "You ok?" he whispered.  
  
She frowned, gulped and then nodded. He breathed deeply.  
  
"I - "she started to say, but he stopped her posing one finger on her lips. "Yes. I know," he said in a breath, finally detaching from her and passing a hand through his blond hair. They looked at each other for one last long moment and then she opened the door of the house and got out. Bryan remained there. Staring at the closed door.  
  
She silently switched on the engine with shaking hands and, as noiselessly as she could, she drove away. Tears ran down on her face, her heart was broken.  
  
She glanced at the reflection in her rear mirror. All her world was there and she was definitely leaving it. She sighed. She'd sneaked out of the house almost without a word, like she'd established with Letty. Not an explanation. Nothing, so that Letty wouldn't say a word about the night of the truck. She wiped her tears away from her face with one hand, but new ones came down.  
  
Jesse, Leon, Mia, Bryan, . . . Dom.  
  
Dom. She wouldn't love anyone else after him, because . . . she was in love with him. He'd been able to reach her heart, made her feel complete like no one else before. But he wasn't free and what they'd done was wrong. No. She wouldn't make that mistake ever again.  
  
She switched the radio on, trying not to think about what she was abandoning. A soft music filled the air. Driving away, far from that house she looked outside at the dark silent night crying. Never before had her future looked so pointless and sad.  
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	22. ch22

A/n: Hi girls! Here I am back again with new chapters. Sorry for the delay but I've been too busy with the work. Anyway here you have new chapters hope you'll like it,..so REVIEW ME!!!!! (  
  
CH.22  
  
Four Months later.  
  
"Hey Dom," Leon said, "have you heard about Hector?"  
  
"What?" Dom asked frowning.  
  
"Looks like he got a new racer in his team, and it's a very good one!" Leon said all very interested.  
  
"Yeah. I've heard something," Dom replied absently. He hadn't cared about anything in these past four months since - . . . . he looked into space: since Annie was gone. Not a word or a letter. Disappeared like powder in the wind.  
  
At the beginning he'd been mad when he'd discovered that. He had asked and looked everywhere for her, but found nothing. The only certainty was that each month a fairly good amount of money was deposited with his bank account by someone anonymous. He'd tried to ask who this person was but no one had told him. He knew it was her. He felt it.  
  
Anastasia. It was the only thin contact that remained with her. Each month when he went to the bank he hoped to find something: a word, news about her, but it was always the same: nothing.  
  
He still couldn't believe he'd lost her. At the beginning he'd taken the blame for everything. It was because of him. He'd been a bastard with her. He'd oppressed her, he'd pushed her far away from him. But then, after a few weeks a cold anger had replaced all those feelings.  
  
He'd started to hate her for what she'd done. She'd broken his heart. He'd discovered himself thinking of her night and day: she was everywhere he looked. He could still smell her perfume, still hear her laugh. And now, he lived with this hate for her. He'd convinced himself it was easier this way . . .  
  
He shook his head. Time had passed and he'd gotten used to live with that aching pain in the middle of his chest. Lately, he forced himself not to think. He'd even come back to Letty, searching for something, but not finding it. Oh sure, Letty was very happy now, but things weren't the same as before. It was a farce: both of them knew they were no longer in love, but simply didn't want to admit it. They hadn't slept with each other for a lot of time, but Letty didn't want to hear that. No way. She was happy like this. It was only a way to give an idea of normality to the rest of the world. Everything was like before, even if it was not. Only he didn't give a shit about the rest of the world. He hadn't cared about anything, for a lot of time . . .  
  
He knew he had to talk to Letty and make her reason, let her face the reality, only he got no courage. Funny. He was afraid of something. Dominic Toretto a coward.  
  
He shook his head to chase away those dark thoughts. Leon was still talking with the team about this incredible new racer.  
  
"Do you know his name?" Dom asked, forcing himself to think about something else.  
  
"No. No one knows. Just that he's good. He comes, races, wins and disappears," Leon said.  
  
"Whoever he might be, we'll sure see him at Race Wars," Vince said.  
  
"Yeah, sure Hector will make him race there," Dom agreed thoughtfully.  
  
"He'd do everything to beat you!" Leon said and all the guys chuckled.  
  
Race Wars. A good way to forget Anastasia. Race, just race and nothing else mattered. He lived a quarter mile at a time. His only rule. This was the solution.  
  
------------------------------------- 


	23. ch23

A/n I don't know exactly how Race Wars is organized, so please don't sue me if you find this is not an exact report of them. Let's say I just took a poetic license in this case, so please as from now, forgive me. (  
  
CH.23  
  
One week later: Race Wars.  
  
"Yo Hector," Dom said giving him a head up gesture.  
  
"Yo Dom," Hector greeted his friend.  
  
"What's up?" Dom asked scanning the situation around him.  
  
"You know I got a big surprise for you this time," Hector said proudly.  
  
"What? You've learned to drive?" Dom ironically teased him.  
  
"Ha, ha. Funny" Hector replied not smiling. Dom grinned.  
  
"No, I'm serious man. This time it will be different," Hector declared.  
  
"Do you have new engines?" Dom asked, but he knew it was something else.  
  
"No. A new racer for my team," Hector explained very proudly.  
  
"Ohh. This Mister X all the people talk about," Dom said gesturing as if he already knew it, but he was curious.  
  
"You have to see it, man. He's great!" Hector said almost excited.  
  
"Oh? Are you sure that you are not in love with this racer??" Dom kidded him. Hector snorted and gave Dom a warning look.  
  
"Ok, ok," Dom said raising his hands up in a peace gesture. "So, where is this race phenomenon?" Dom asked looking around, someway curious, guessing who it could be.  
  
"Usually, he just comes, races and then goes away. But you'll see him. He'll be here today." explained Hector.  
  
"What's wrong with him? Is he afraid of the crowd?" Dom said still teasing him.  
  
"Well, looks like you're going to have your answer personally. Here she comes," Hector said smiling at the sight of something behind Dom.  
  
"She???" Vince was saying, but Dom was no more listening to what they were saying, too taken by the familiar sound of a car approaching them.  
  
"H14" Annie said searching the pavement between the masses for her parking lot. She was thrilled. It was her first time at Race Wars and she knew nothing about it. Hector had only told her to meet him at her parking site. "H12. . . H13. . . H14. Here it is!" she suddenly said happily, finally locating the exact place.  
  
I know this engine, I know it, Dom was thinking frowning, but he didn't have the time to think anymore. A beautiful black car with an aggressive golden jaguar designed on both sides, had made its way to the curious crowd and now had slowed down, just stopping in front of them.  
  
Dom was almost shocked at the sight.  
  
The door opened and a stunning blond girl got out of it. The radio was pumping Anastacia's "Paid my dues" very loudly. Low riding torn jeans, an open jeans jacket under which there was a white tight-fitting shirt almost completely unbuttoned except for one or two at her bosom, showing part of her small white bra, revealing her perfect tanned skin, and her shaped body. She wore completely black small sunglasses and her long beautiful hair was tied up in a ponytail. She wore no make up as usual. She joined them, with a slow, determined walk. She looked emotionless. She was stunning.  
  
"Anastasia" was all Dom said in a low tone, mesmerized by her sight. The reason of his sleepless nights was just in front of him, gorgeous as ever. Fortunately he wore black sunglasses that helped him hiding his emotions.  
  
"Hy Hector!" Anastasia said smiling cheerfully.  
  
"My great racer!" Hector said smiling at her sight, he hugged her friendly, kissing her on her cheek.  
  
Dom looked at the scene almost in trance, disturbed by their intimacy.  
  
"Toretto," Annie greeted quietly finally looking at him.  
  
"So you are the great racer everybody was talking about," Vince said also surprised.  
  
"Who else could it be," Annie replied with a cold smile teasing Vince.  
  
"Hector! Need your help!" a guy shouted far from them between some cars.  
  
"I'm coming!" Hector replied. "Sorry Annie, I'll be back in a minute," he apologized and went to the guy leaving Annie with Dom.  
  
"Where's the rest of your team?" Annie asked to break the embarrassing silence.  
  
"Here and there. Letty and Leon are still registering and Mia and Bryan are somewhere out there," Dom answered vaguely indicating with his head to his right, not caring at all. His interest was directed towards her now.  
  
Annie nodded even if hearing Letty's name made her frowning for a second. It was not her business anymore, she had to remember that. She felt more and more uneasy.  
  
"So, you drive for Hector," Dom said watching her car, "you're in with the Cubans."  
  
"Yeah. He allowed me to race for him. He takes 30% of my winnings, in exchange, he works on my car," she explained very quietly.  
  
Dom nodded. He stared at her, damn! He would have liked to see her eyes, read her emotions! She looked so sure, so mature now, even cold. He had hundred of questions to ask her but he couldn't talk just stare at her.  
  
"You look good," was all he was able to say in a neutral tone at the end, referring to her look and her tanned skin.  
  
"Thank you. I got a new job on the seaside," Annie simply replied in a light tone avoiding details. She had problems to talk too and she made a big effort to not show it.  
  
She observed him from under her sunglasses: he looked tired and worn out. What had happened?  
  
"So, looks like you got a new life," Dom stated very calmly.  
  
"Yeah, it's not bad just - different," she said, "and you?"  
  
"Same as usual," he briefly replied shrugging impassive.  
  
Vince looked alternatively at both of them. They were measuring each other like in a chess game. One in front of the other warily.  
  
Dom was going to talk when a message came from the loudspeakers: "-To all racers. We start in ten minutes. Will the first registered please come to the starting line-"  
  
"Oh! This one is for me. Gotta go now," Annie said as if waking up from a trance and untying her gaze from that of Dom. "So, see you," Annie said with a somewhat embarrassed smile and hurriedly got in her car and moved on.  
  
"See you," Dom muttered watching her going away. "- soon," he added softly.  
  
She breathed deeply more time before finding her control again. Fortunately, she was seated or her knees would have bent. Her hands shook badly and she sweated. After four months it was still the same. How could she have thought she would forget him? It was like if she'd left him yesterday.  
  
It was all the same. She was in love with him now like four months ago, she sadly realized while driving to the starting line.  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
Anastasia as well as Hector and Tran's team won all their races and advanced on the list. Meanwhile also Dom and his team were winning.  
  
At lunch time, the races stopped for an hour.  
  
Annie decided to sit on a big wooden box in the shade far from the noise to eat and drink something alone.  
  
She was ending to drink when she heard some people talk. At first she didn't care, she was tired and it was a hot day. But suddenly she recognized some voices. They were those of Vince and? Who were the others? Letty, Bryan and Dom. They were coming close. Shit! She didn't want to meet them so she remained still. Maybe they wouldn't notice her.  
  
They were talking to someone. She remained silent and listened to what they were saying.  
  
"So Dom? This is the guy I told you about, his name is Gunter," a young guy said.  
  
"He got the parts I need?" Dom asked.  
  
"Yes, he comes directly from Germany. He can make you have what you need, very soon," the guy said.  
  
"Frank, are you sure? I mean, I've already had bad experiences," Dom said doubtful.  
  
"You can trust me. He's trustworthy," Frank replied. "Oh, but he speaks only German," he added. Annie smiled wryly, where had she already seen this? She shook her head ironically.  
  
"Die Turbine ist eintausend Dollar wert," Gunter said in German. "He said that the turbine costs 2000$," Frank translated.  
  
"What a bastard!" Anastasia said loudly, she couldn't stop herself.  
  
Dom lifted his head up and finally noticed her. He frowned, but didn't reply. Letty gave her a dirty look.  
  
"What? Who are you?" Frank asked abruptly.  
  
"They were one thousand not two," Annie explained flatly taking a swallow of her Coke.  
  
"Who's that bitch?" Frank shouted angrily.  
  
"Leave," said Letty in a quiet menacing tone.  
  
"Why do you lie when you translate?" Annie continued sure of herself barely frowning, staring at her bottle and then glancing at Frank, not caring of the others.  
  
"Chase that bitch away or we won't go on," Frank tried to intimidate Dom.  
  
"Why?" Dom asked Frank with sudden interest.  
  
"Don't tell me you trust her after all she's done to you!" Letty said.  
  
Dom turned and met Annie's stare. They remained liked this for a long moment when suddenly Annie started to talk in German directly with Gunter, slowly leaving Dom's eyes to stare at Gunter. When they ended , she turned back to Dom: "Your turbine costs 1000$ and not 2000$."  
  
"Don't trust her," Letty repeated nearby him.  
  
He slowly looked at Letty then to Annie thoughtfully. He could have lost himself in those eyes. Suddenly, not knowing the reason, he realized he could trust her. It was absurd, this was business, but - he felt it. "Dom!" Letty protested angrily at his hesitation. Annie knew what he was feeling. She could read it in his face: he was uncertain, he was struggling inside himself, about what to do. "Leave," Dom suddenly ordered firmly at Letty without giving her a second glance. He was so tired of her constantly opposing his decisions. Letty glared at him but didn't reply. She just stormed away like a fury, but no one of them took care of her, too taken by this new situation. "Are you a friend of Parker?" Annie asked Frank.  
  
"What's wrong with her?" Frank said irritated to Dom.  
  
"Answer the question," Dom toughly ordered him.  
  
"Listen, I don't know any Henry Parker," the man said snorting losing his control. He was nervous.  
  
"I never told you his name was Henry," Annie said with a sure satisfied look.  
  
The man's eyes realizing his mistake only in that moment. Hurriedly he turned to Dom: "Listen, - I - Dom please!" He was scared. Dom's look darkened with anger: "Take this piece of shit out of my sight!" Dom ordered Vince and Bryan.  
  
The two guys roughly grabbed the man, who started to struggle with all his might as they started to take him away: "You bitch! You're gonna pay for this!" he furiously yelled at her.  
  
Annie smiled quietly shrugging. "Whenever you want. I'm here," not looking impressed by those words. She'd changed, the new Anastasia was strong.  
  
Vince and Bryan took him away. Dom watched the scene vexed. Then, he slowly turned back to thank Annie, only- she had disappeared. He looked around but she wasn't there anymore. He frowned. She couldn't have vanished into thin air. He scanned the crowd around him more thoroughly and finally singled her out far from him, walking alone. He snorted confused and was going to turn again when suddenly a blue big BMW stopped nearby her. Dom stopped and scowled at the scene.  
  
She turned. Two men wearing black suits fast got off and talked to her. He couldn't read the plate's number and couldn't hear what they were saying, but they weren't just friend. They seemed to be men . . . from the government or something like that.  
  
Dom was astonished. Who were these people and why did Annie know them? She didn't look happy, however, to see them but also not too surprised. They talked animatedly for a while, like they were scolding her for something, then they quickly got back in their car and left her squealing off. Annie passed her hands through her hair as if what they'd told her hadn't been good news.  
  
When the car passed nearby Dom he could read the number plate, but- what a strange one! What did it mean? CD - wasn't that standing for Diplomatic Corps? Why did they want Annie? What did they want from her?  
  
Dom didn't understand but decided he would find out. He wouldn't allow anyone else to betray him again. Once was one time too many already.  
  
"Are you okay Dom?" Vince asked as he returned, watching the dark look of his friend, staring into space. "Yeah. . . fine," Dom muttered finally turning to look at his friend. "Let's go to race now," he slowly said deciding to think about that later.  
  
He definitely had to find Annie and talk to her. He wanted the truth.  
  
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	24. ch24

A/n: Hi all! I didn't forget you! First I wanted to thank you all for the nice reviews you sent me during this time. They are always so helpful for a writer. Then I didn't stop or abandoned my story, it's only that I've been busy with my work and couldn't follow this. But now I'm here With a new chapter. Hope you'll like it. Please review me and let me know. A special big thank to Kentucka. You're great.  
  
CH.24  
  
The races started again in the afternoon and Annie won them all as well as Dom, Letty and Hector. When the sun set the voice over the loudspeakers called it a day and stopped the races.  
  
Annie met Hector for the money. "Ok, Hector see you tomorrow," she told him after having taken what was hers and put it in her jeans pocket.  
  
"What? Where are you going?" He asked frowning stopping her.  
  
"Back home. I'll be here tomorrow just in time," she reassured him.  
  
"Oh! Come on! You can't do that! It's too far! You have to stay, plus there's a big party tonight!" Hector said putting an arm around her shoulder.  
  
"No listen I don't want to stay," she replied. "But I'll be here tomorrow morning early enough, don't worry," she insisted. The idea of a possible meeting with Toretto's team, worried her more than everything.  
  
"Come on! Do it for me, chica! You won't meet Toretto. I promise. This is a big place you can loose people very easily!" Hector said lightly.  
  
"What-? How do you know that?" she asked him surprised.  
  
"'bout Toretto? Hon, I've always known that. C'mon stay with us! Besides, I want to show you off," Hector said with a friendly smile. He was smarter than she'd thought.  
  
"You want to show me off???" she repeated incredulously and ironically, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Sure! When have I ever had such a good racer in my team??" Hector replied smiling charmingly at her.  
  
"But I don't have a place where to sleep!" Annie tried to protest.  
  
"You'll sleep at my sister's. She's got a caravan," Hector said slapping on her shoulder and taking her arm. "C'mon! It'll be fun! And you'll meet a lot of funny people!" He insisted.  
  
"But? Oh-. . . Ok, ok!" finally gave in Annie still a bit confused.  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
Three hours later. The Party.  
  
What Hector had simply described as a "party" was a big open space between some cars with psychedelic lights, music and lots of people.  
  
Annie arrived with Carla at this party. After all, Hector was right, why not have some good time? That place was so big, what were the chances to meet Toretto and his team? Carla took Annie to Hector and his friends.  
  
"Wow! Anastasia! I'm- speechless. You're - beautiful!" Hector said with a truly amazed expression.  
  
"Isn't she?" Carla said smiling. "Told her, with that body, it was a pity not to show it!" she added satisfied.  
  
"You're definitely right sis," Hector replied still observing Annie.  
  
Carla had dressed her and now she wore an "off the shoulder" black crop top with a short flowing black mini-skirt that left her navel free. She also had on a thin golden chain belt and high heeled sandals. She'd left her hair free for the wind to play with and notwithstanding the fact that this wasn't her usual look, she had to admit that it made her feel sexy and good. Carla had also stuck a sort of tattoo to her skin made of small diamond-like stones on one arm representing a dauphin and had applied a special kind of golden shimmering spray to her body, which accentuated her perfect skin in these lights. She blushed more.  
  
"Here. Let me present you some friends," Carla said and without waiting took her to a group of persons close-by. Immediately the word that she was there spread. Some guys joined them just to meet the mysterious girl who was winning everything. She smiled feeling a bit uneasy at first, but it was funny after all, when she saw- "Stan? Greg? What are you doing here???" Annie asked two guys nearby her, completely astonished.  
  
"Anastasia??? You here???" Stan said turning and seeing her. Then he opened his mouth in disbelief at her sight. "You're so -beautiful tonight!".  
  
"You're amazing and terribly sexy!" Greg added with an admiring male look smiling sensually.  
  
She smiled and felt herself more at her ease. Her two friends were here. She looked at them: they were as different as the sun and the moon.  
  
Stanley was very tall and thin but firm, with brown short hair with some blond stripes and an earring. He was a bit shy but he was very intelligent and there was something in his eyes, something attractive in his look.  
  
Greg, was different. Not as tall as Stan but with a muscled body, long blond hair, tied in a low ponytail and blue charming eyes. He was a playboy par excellence. He wasn't a true nice guy, but there was something sexy in his accent and his French manners, that made girls become crazy for him. He was a sunny character, funny and smart.  
  
"So why you here?" Annie asked surprised.  
  
"We just followed a friend," Stan said, "he told us it would be funny and it is!" he ended looking around.  
  
"And we would have never missed the chance to see you race. Thought that you were good but- hey! Not like this! You're great!" Greg continued really surprised.  
  
She smiled: "Ok. So you discovered me. Surprised?" asked Annie.  
  
Stan shook his head: "Thought you were special, and . . . I was right!" he shrugged. She hugged him: "Thank you," she replied smiling happy.  
  
"So," Greg said interrupting them, "let's have fun!"  
  
"Ok!" Annie smiled.  
  
--------------------------------------  
  
Two hours later Annie was having big fun. She'd danced with different guys but mostly with Greg who had flirted with her the whole party long, she knew that, but she'd decided to accept it. After all it was fun. Being courted by someone who really liked her and with whom she didn't have to hide herself, because of this. She had also danced two, three times with Stan, but he'd preferred to drink and pick up girls only with his magnetic look and his manners on the side of the dance floor.  
  
Dom arrived at the party around midnight. He didn't want to go, but Letty had insisted unrelentingly, and in the end he'd given up. She wanted to have fun that night and he'd decided to please her, but inside of him he would have liked to have a walk and find Anastasia. He'd been looking for her attentively but she seemed to have disappeared just after the end of the races. So now here he was, drinking his beer on a side of the dance floor, with his team. He'd won all his races that afternoon and he was in a very good place on the list, but he wasn't satisfied. His mind always ran back to that morning when he'd seen her getting out from her car. She had been stunning, and he felt attracted to her more than ever.  
  
He blinked his eyes forcing himself to free his mind from those dangerous thoughts. Letty was dancing just in front of him, moving very sexy but strangely, it didn't affect him.  
  
He scanned the crowd as usual: Tran's team, Edwin's team, Hector's team but Anastasia wasn't there. Leon and Jesse had found a couple of girls and were having a good time with them.  
  
"So, Dom? Having fun?" Vince asked joining him.  
  
"Yeah," Dom answered thoughtfully. Vince looked at him: the party was great, but his friend wasn't in the mood for it. His mind was elsewhere.  
  
Then suddenly the music changed. The rhythm slowly increased in a captivating crescendo. The loudspeakers now played "Music is no good without you" of Cher.  
  
People seemed to like it because the dance floor was now completely filled.  
  
Dom absently took a swallow of his beer. He strangely started to feel nervous now. Then suddenly a chill ran down his back, like a jolt of electricity.  
  
He blinked and slowly he realized that he was feeling her. He couldn't help but slowly turn and look at the mass of people dancing in front of him. It was dark and psychedelics green, red, blue and white neon enlightened the dance floor intermittently. He didn't see her, but he knew she was there.  
  
He forced his eyes through the dark to focus on the people, when suddenly, as if by magic, the crowd partially opened and finally he saw her and held his breath: it was like a punch in his stomach.  
  
She was amusing herself dancing on the opposite side of the dance floor with two guys.  
  
She moved so sensually all taken by the song. Hell, she was beautiful! She made her hips swinging sexily following the rhythm of the music. Her black mini skirt danced hypnotically on her tanned legs as her movements required. She rolled her head back, and laughed amused as a blond guy who was holding her told her something in her ear. Her golden hair softly waved in the wind, caressed her back making a fabulous contrast with her perfect golden tanned skin.  
  
She was . . . stunning. She was the sexiest girl he'd ever seen in his life. He forced himself to breath, discovering that he'd been in a kind of apnea since he'd seen her. He couldn't help but gaze at her mesmerized.  
  
Incredibly, as though she'd felt something, she turned and met his eyes. A sensual warm smile appeared on her lips and he felt himself melting. For a moment, they stared at each other, their eyes locked. Then someone called her and she turned again to the man she was dancing with.  
  
Dom swallowed, his eyes still on her.  
  
"You alright man?" Bryan asked him turning to see what Dom was staring at. "Oh. You saw her," he noted lowering his tone. "Yeah," Dom muttered, not stopping to observe Annie, who danced provokingly with a blond guy.  
  
"She's the big star tonight," Bryan continued. "Seems like everybody wants to talk and dance with her, but looks like she dances only with him," Bryan ended. This didn't help Dom's mood.  
  
"Her fifteen minutes of glory," Letty commented acidly, joining them: "Tomorrow I'll put her back in her place," she ended sure of herself.  
  
"For once, I mean only one time, why don't you acknowledge the abilities of your rival?" Dom burst out, loosing his control and taking his eyes from Annie for a moment to coldly glance at his girlfriend. Letty shrugged as it didn't matter to her. He shook his head and went back to watching Annie. It was useless to try to explain that to her.  
  
"You wanna dance?" she asked him, dropping subject. "No, Letty. Thank you," he wearily answered breathing deeply, trying to control himself. She shrugged and went back to the dance floor.  
  
She was dancing with Greg while Stan had stopped and was watching them drinking his beer. Greg was a very good dancer and together they had found a good rhythm. She was having a lot of fun, a way she hadn't felt for months. Then suddenly she felt something, like someone staring at her, like . . . There was only one person who made her feel like that. It was like a chill. She felt the need to turn slowly and despite the crowd she met dark eyes gazing at her deeply. Dominic.  
  
He was watching her so intensely that she felt her knees bending. A sudden heat pervaded her body. It was an hot admiring male look, and she felt her stomach tighten at it. She forced herself to reply to his smile, trying to show some confidence she was far from feeling.  
  
Greg noticed her change of mood and called her many times till she turned to look at him blinking her eyes: "Yes . . . ?" she asked lost.  
  
"Hey? Seems like you've just seen a ghost!" Greg said ironically. "You look shocked!" he added with an amused smile.  
  
"N-no . . . It's nothing. I just - saw - an old friend and -" Annie said gesturing vaguely to the dance floor.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever," Greg teased her with his dragging smile and tightened his hold on her waist.  
  
She smiled at him, he was smarter than she'd thought, but nice and direct as always. "I'm feeling hot, let's drink something," she said mischievously playing his game.  
  
"Mmh," he smiled sensually. "I like it when you're hot," he whispered in her ear with a conspiratorial and allusive look. He passed his arm around her waist holding her to himself possessively. Annie shook her head amused; he was a true playboy. She spent the rest of the party talking with him, Stan and other people while drinking something, leaning against a car.  
  
Dom spent the rest of the party staring at her. He didn't want to but, . . . . he couldn't stop it. Each time a man came and danced with her or touched her, he became more and more nervous. He would have liked to beat the shit out of them, especially the blond one, who seemed to stick at Annie. His hands were always on her, everything was an excuse to hold her to him. He would have liked very much to kill him.  
  
Around 3:30 am, the party was ending. Only a few disparate people were still there talking or drinking and the music was softer than before. Annie had remained only with her two friends while of Toretto's team only Dom and Vince were still there.  
  
"Dom man, I'm over. Think I'll have some sleep," Vince finally announced. Dom nodded looking at his friend. "You?" Vince asked.  
  
"End this beer and then I'll come too," Dom replied quietly. Vince nodded and went away.  
  
Dom remained alone, leaned against a car, letting the breeze refresh his body while thoughtfully taking a swallow of his beer.  
  
His look came on Annie and her two friends. She was now sitting on a hood. One of them whispered something in her ear and she laughed while with the other hand he tightened his hold on her waist pushing her against his body.  
  
Dom half closed his eyes thinking. She wasn't his girl. They'd had only two nights. He didn't have to be angry or jealous.  
  
No, it wasn't true. Who was he kidding? She had to be his and no one else's. Because he still wanted her. He was hungry for her now, more than before and he couldn't even tolerate that other men could look at her. So when the blond guy sensually blew in Annie's ear making her blush embarrassedly and giggle, Dom decided it was enough. He couldn't stand that scene anymore. He took the last swallow of his beer and with a tough decisive look started to walk toward them.  
  
"You don't introduce me to your friends?" a quiet husky voice said to Annie.  
  
She immediately stopped talking and slowly turned astonished to where the voice came from.  
  
Dom was standing just in front of them in all his stateliness looking daggers at them with flaming eyes and a fake quiet smile on his lips.  
  
Greg, not caring about Dom's presence, whispered something funny in her ear. She smiled nervously. Suddenly she felt like the land under her feet was burning.  
  
Dom's eyes darkened at Greg's simple gesture and clenched his fists. Annie immediately noticed it and cleared her throat as to recall Greg. He noticed her change of mood and stopped but said nothing.  
  
"Dom, please meet Stanley Jobson," Annie said trying to show a confidence that she didn't have, indicating the tall dark blond man, who quietly leaned against the car: "He's a hacker. Well, . . . . an ex-hacker," Annie explained exchanging a conspiratorial look with her friend that smiled. "Because now, he cannot even stand nearby a computer!" she ended smiling.  
  
Stan gestured his head "hi" and raised his bottle of beer in greeting.  
  
"And here to my right, please meet Gregoire De Fronzac. French impoverished noble in forced holidays here in US," she ended with an amused smile. He chuckled at her presentation and tightened his hold on her waist.  
  
"Hello," he said in an unmistakable French accent, smiling politely.  
  
Dom decided he didn't like them, especially the French one. "C'mon. Let's dance," he suddenly ordered her sharply.  
  
"Oh! Oh, man? What's wrong with you?" Greg said losing his smile at Dom's words. "She's with us," Stanley added approaching Annie protectively.  
  
Dom darted a grim glance at both of them. "You, why don't you go back to your computer?" Dom started acidly to Stan. "And you, go back cooking your crepes, 'Gregoire'!" Dom ended, provocative.  
  
Annie's eyes widened and her mouth opened speechless.  
  
"Looking for troubles?" Greg said standing up menacingly, ready for everything.  
  
Annie looked at her friend, astonished: he wasn't scared at all by Dom.  
  
"You know, I wouldn't recommend you to do that," Dom suggested in a low, warning tone. His eyes flashing of fury. This scared Anastasia more than anything.  
  
"Oh, yeah? Why?" Greg replied toughly.  
  
"Greg! Please!" Annie intervened by placing her hand on his forearm, but he seemed not to hear her: "I know him, s'il te plaît!" she insisted. He finally looked at her. There was a plea in her eyes. She was seriously scared for him. "S'il te plaît," she repeated softly tightening her hold on his arm. He glanced at Dom, then back at her and finally nodded silently, calming down.  
  
"Yeah, Greg! 'S'il te plait'!" Dom echoed ironically, not upset at all by the guy. Greg shot an evil eye at him ready to reply but again Annie tightened her hold. He looked at her and stopped.  
  
"If you need me, I'm here," Greg only said quietly. "She won't need you," Dom stated in a low determined tone and without waiting grabbed Annie's wrist and dragged her to the dance floor.  
  
The music changed in the exact moment they reached the dance floor. A soft, strange, oriental music filled the air.  
  
"Who do you think you are, to come here and talk like this to my friends?" protested Annie angrily once she was in his arms dancing. "Never knew the meaning of the word -manners-?" she insisted vehemently.  
  
"Who are they?" Dom asked her motioning with his head to the two men.  
  
She shook her head: "Why do you never listen to me?" she answered irritated: "They are -friends of mine-," she underlined her words.  
  
"Yeah, whatever," Dom surly replied: "You shouldn't go out with people like that."  
  
"Why? They are very good friends. They accepted me the way I am," she defended herself.  
  
He silently stared at her.  
  
Then she glanced at them and couldn't restrain a smile: "What a colorful group we are," she admitted thoughtfully, mostly to herself. "We're all running away from something," she ended lightly.  
  
He raised an eyebrow. "And you? What are you running away from?" he quietly asked her.  
  
She looked at him and for a moment was lost in the depths of his caramel eyes. She would have wanted to say -you- . She took her eyes away from him: "My past," she whispered.  
  
"You've changed," he noticed after a long silent moment still observing her. The small tattoo, her tanned firm body . . . she'd lost weight. But this didn't matter since he'd liked her even when she was more . . . soft.  
  
"I'm grown. I'm more mature," she promptly replied.  
  
"You're sexy."  
  
"I've always been," she smiled provokingly, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Arrogant," he smirked.  
  
"Yes, besides that's the way you like it," she teased him.  
  
"So you're doing this for me," he smartly underlined.  
  
"The same arrogant, egocentric, megalomaniac, male chauvinist!" she replied resentful, but not too much, there was something true in what he'd said.  
  
He openly smiled. "I take it as a yes," tightening his hold.  
  
She shook her head resigned and continued to dance. Without even noticing, little by little she started to softly sing the theme.  
  
"You know this song?" he asked surprised.  
  
She looked at him and slowly smiled: "It's an old French song called 'Aicha'," she explained. "It talks about an unrequited love." She stopped listening to the words. "He says that he would give his life for her. She's the most beautiful thing in the world . . . .," she ended in a whisper, her gaze lost in space, her eyes glittering. "Must be beautiful to be loved in such a way . . .," she murmured, lost in her thoughts.  
  
He thoughtfully observed her and frowned. That song was talking about him and her. Because she was the most beautiful thing in the world. Suddenly, he couldn't stop himself from raising his hand and delicately brush her cheek with the back of his hand. She stared at him lost in his eyes holding her breath.  
  
His lips slowly bent in a gentle grin. She smiled and blushed lowering her eyes. This was the Anastasia he loved the most. So tender and defenseless.  
  
She moved her face and cleared her throat to regain her self control. He let his hand fall down to hold her again in his arms.  
  
"Why did you do that today. Why did you help me?" Dom suddenly asked.  
  
Annie shrugged: "It felt good," she admitted. She paused and stared at him with hooded eyes. "And you . . . .why did you trust me?"  
  
He looked at her and shrugged: "Don't know, I felt - I could do it," Dom answered directly. Then he shook his head thinking back at that morning: "Is it possible that you know everything about everybody?" he couldn't stop himself to ask her sincerely curious, following the line of his thoughts.  
  
"Well, this should be my work" she replied enigmatically with a half smile.  
  
"How many languages you speak?"  
  
"Five fluently, plus some sentences of Russian, Greek and Turkish and some words in Arabian," she ended in a shrug as if it was normal: "I could say 'Good morning' in five languages," she added smiling lightly.  
  
"Or 'I love you' in five languages," he whispered in a breath staring her deeply. He was mesmerizing, she felt her mouth become dry, she was speechless, she was - breathless.  
  
"Y-yes . . .," she babbled lowering her eyes blushing. He smiled, not arrogant anymore but sincere, and softly caressed her back continuing to dance.  
  
"Why did you run away that night? Because of me?" he asked her serious after a while.  
  
She looked at him. After all it was the truth, oh! She would have liked to say yes, but she couldn't. She had to keep him far away from her. "No, it's because of me," she whispered, her eyes downcast, not having the courage to meet his eyes. It would be better if he thought that it was her fault, she sadly considered.  
  
"Who are they?" Dom asked quietly hinting to Stan and Greg.  
  
"They are good friends, nice people, you don't have to worry about them," she sincerely admitted absent-mindedly. Immediately afterwards she paused and frowned: "But, then -why should you be worried?" she remarked. "I'm nothing for you, there's nothing between us, I'm not yours," she ended toughly. These were harsh words, she knew, but it was the truth. They both knew it.  
  
It was like a slap in the face for him. He half closed his eyes and pushed her more against him so strongly that it almost hurt her.  
  
"Can't - can't breath!" she whispered trying to free herself.  
  
"Shut up!" he ordered furiously through his teeth.  
  
She raised her eyes to meet his gaze and felt her knees bending at this. She melted. Speechless. Notwithstanding his tone, his eyes were darkened by desire. Everything seemed to disappear around them. There was no more music, or dance floor, or anything else except for them. "Stay with me, tonight," he suddenly whispered on her lips.  
  
She swallowed: "Why?" she asked in a breath, lost in his eyes. "Because - " he hesitated.  
  
She could read in his eyes, his inner struggle, but she wanted him to tell her. She needed to know and she would have given herself to him completely, she only needed three words. Not necessarily The Three Magic Words, but maybe that he needed her. Wanted her.  
  
"Because . . . "  
  
"Dom? Dom!" a female voice was calling him: "Dom!" Letty insisted peremptorily reaching the dance floor.  
  
Annie blinked and Dom took a deep breath, the spell of the moment broken. They looked around realizing only in that moment that the music had ended. They untied from their embrace but still held hands.  
  
"Dom!" Letty said through her teeth angrily: "Mia is looking for you!" she said putting her hands on her waist.  
  
Annie gave him a bitter look: 'See? I was right'. "Go, now. She's calling you," she gently muttered. There was no irony or anger in her words, just an ascertainment. Only the unvarnished reality.  
  
He was dumbfounded, uncertain, did not know what to do. He didn't want to let her go, he wouldn't go.  
  
"Dom!" Letty repeated to receive his attention. He turned to look at her without even truly seeing her. "It's urgent!" Letty insisted giving with her eyes sign to go.  
  
He turned to look at Annie. "Gotta go," he whispered near her ear.  
  
She shivered closing her eyes, then opened them and looked at him, "I know," but her eyes showed sadness, bitterness. He left her slowly, tarrying sweetly to stare at her for a few more seconds, then moved away fast.  
  
Annie turned to look around breathing deeply to regain her control but it was useless. She loved him, She still loved him. How could she have only imagined that she could forget him? Being in his arms, his look had been enough to reawake those sensations she had thought had died. She only hoped he hadn't noticed it. Funny. She should have thanked Letty for this. A few seconds longer and it would have been too late. She looked for Greg and Stan, but they were gone: "Good friends!" she grunted.  
  
------------------------------- 


	25. ch25

CH.25  
  
"So you're back," suddenly a female voice said behind her back.  
  
Letty? But hadn't she followed Dom? She slowly turned to look at her.  
  
Letty stared at her with open hostility. "Thought we had a deal: you stay away, I stay away. I kept my part," Letty said toughly.  
  
Dom was searching for Mia, when he stopped and frowned. Letty hadn't told him where his sister was. He fast came back to ask her, but slowed down has he heard the two girls talking animatedly. He neared and watched remaining half covered by the darkness.  
  
"Thought I obeyed to you. I respected the deal," the other girl said.  
  
Annie? What was she talking about? Dom frowned.  
  
"Don't think so, since you're back," Letty made her notice.  
  
"Listen, how could I imagine to find you here? Dom hasn't raced for a lot of time and Hector told me - " "Leave," Letty interrupted her toughly.  
  
"Listen, this place is big enough for both of us, and I only want to race, I don't think - " Annie said in a comprehensive tone.  
  
Why was she so submissive with Letty? Dom thought.  
  
"Leave," Letty repeated obstinately: "Or else I - " Dom couldn't believe it. What was that? He had known the girls had always disliked each other, but this was more than antipathy. This was pure hatred. How was it possible that he had never become aware of it? That he'd been so blind?  
  
"You what? Huh?" Annie promptly said loosing her control raising her chin and putting her hand on her waist in a defiant tone.  
  
"I'll tell Dom everything," Letty ended menacingly.  
  
"Everything . . . " Annie repeated with a bitter laugh: "You know? You should truly tell him everything, I mean all of it, even about you."  
  
He finally stopped hidden by a car. He narrowed his eyes and decided to wait in the darkness.  
  
"It'd not be worthwhile for you, and even if, he would never trust you," Letty said sure of herself.  
  
This was the big problem, thought Annie. Dom would have never trusted her.  
  
Dom frowned. What were they talking about?  
  
"Must be sad to have to resort to blackmail and menaces, to keep your man nearby you," Annie stated finally taking her courage.  
  
"You know, he's a man, he makes mistakes," Letty said: "And you're just one of them," she added contemptuous. "But I'm here to make him notice it."  
  
Annie shook her head: "Have you ever told him about that?"  
  
"Sure not, but it's irrelevant. He wouldn't understand it," Letty shrugged.  
  
"You know what? I don't give a damn! You want to tell him everything? Go on! Tell him!" Annie said fed up. What more could she lose? Dom was already out of her life and she still felt terrible because of this. It was enough, she was tired of this blackmail.  
  
"Really?" Letty said sarcastically, crossing her arms on her chest tilting her head to one side, narrowing her eyes: "And you also don't give a damn about Mia?" she asked defiantly.  
  
Oh, shit Mia! She couldn't do this to her! "Oh, oh! So you still care about her!" Letty said with a triumphant smile watching the girl's reaction.  
  
Annie bowed her head. Letty still got her.  
  
"Looks like you're the one who doesn't give a damned about the people you call friends. You're part of the team, but you would hurt them just to get rid of me?" Annie said lifting her head up and shaking her head in disbelief.  
  
Letty narrowed her eyes and sent her a glance of pure hatred. "Yes," she simply muttered and for the first time Annie felt a chill down to her spine scared by what she'd just read in Letty's eyes. Annie swallowed. "Stay the fuck off my grass!" said Letty through her teeth.  
  
Dom stared astonished at the scene, struck by Letty's words.  
  
"Ok, I'll race tomorrow and then I'll go away," Annie said sadly. "No, tomorrow you'll announce your withdrawal," Letty replied toughly.  
  
"Listen, I got a deal with Hector, I gotta race!"  
  
"No! You got a deal with me and you'll announce your withdrawal!" Letty repeated stubbornly.  
  
"What's up? You're afraid to race against me?" Annie teased her with a sad smile.  
  
"You?" Letty laughed sarcastically. "C'mon! for what you'll try to do, you'll always be nothing! I beat you once and I can do it again," Letty said sure of herself.  
  
"Wanna bet?" Annie promptly said with the most provocative smile. She didn't know why she'd said that, but she couldn't help it.  
  
"Why? Do you need to be humiliated again?" Letty said contemptuous.  
  
"So? Wanna bet?" Annie insisted, fascinated now by the idea.  
  
"What?" Letty asked tempted.  
  
"Money . . . . and respect."  
  
"Respect!" Letty laughed sarcastically but she looked at Annie and became serious again: "And then you'll announce your resignation," she ended half closing her eyes.  
  
Annie nodded.  
  
Letty smiled slowly shaking her head "Told ya! Whatever you try to do, you'll never reach my level."  
  
"So?" Annie insisted.  
  
Letty thoughtfully stared at her for a long moment. "Done."  
  
Annie breathed relieved.  
  
"You'll race until we'll meet on the list, then you'll withdraw."  
  
"Ok," Annie agreed.  
  
They sealed the deal by holding each other's hands.  
  
"You know," Letty ended raising an eyebrow: "It won't be as easy as last time was," with a provocative smile.  
  
"I never thought it to be" Annie said not scared at all by those words.  
  
"See you soon, pizza girl," Letty said finally leaving her alone.  
  
"See you - Letty," muttered Annie thoughtfully, once Letty was far from her.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Dom leaned against a car where he was hidden crouched down. He was shaken feeling someway betrayed. He 'd just realized that he knew nothing about Annie and Letty.  
  
Letty. He thought surprised. He'd maybe truly discovered her for the first time. And Annie? What had happened? What had they been talking about? He'd had to find it out soon. Who else knew it? He was going to move when . . . .  
  
Annie leaned against a car alone once again. She breathed deeply, running her hands through her hair. She was shaking badly. It was anger mixed up with impotence. Tears ran down on her face because of the tension.  
  
"Bitch!" she suddenly shouted kicking the wheel of a car to let off the steam.  
  
"Annie?" a male voice called her hesitantly: "Are you all right?"  
  
Annie's eyes widened and she swiftly turned. "Bryan!"  
  
He held her in his arms to calm her down. She cried against his shoulder.  
  
Dom frowned at that scene. What the heck was happening?  
  
"How are you baby?" Bryan asked comprehensively gently caressing Annie's hair once she was a bit more calm.  
  
Annie left his hold: "Did you hear her? She menaced me! Again! She said that if I don't leave, she'll tell Dom all about that night!" Annie said exasperated, wiping her tears away.  
  
Bryan observed her worried. "You cannot go on like that," shaking his head.  
  
"Do I have a choice?" Annie replied bitterly:" I don't want you and Mia involved in all that. Me is enough."  
  
"You don't have to sacrifice yourself for all of us. It wasn't your fault."  
  
"Yeah, - it was!" Annie insisted: "And Dom would never understand. He would first kill me and then you if he just knew it."  
  
Dom was getting more and more angry. He breathed deeply trying to remain calm. Also Bryan was in it? And Mia!! Who else?  
  
"But if I talk to him, he'll have to accept it," Bryan proposed generously.  
  
Annie smiled comprehensively holding his hands in hers. "Thank you Bryan, really. But I don't want you to get into this any further. Better leave things like that. And also . . . . . she allowed me to race until we'll meet on the list."  
  
"Damn, Annie! Again? You know she'll be unfair!" Bryan told her seriously worried.  
  
"Only this time I know what to expect and I'm ready," Annie replied determined.  
  
"But she'll do everything to win and humiliate you. It'll be worse than last time," Bryan said.  
  
"I know," Annie replied thoughtfully.  
  
"But you'd never back down," Bryan ended with a sad smile reading her thoughts. He gently caressed her hair.  
  
Annie smiled quietly and nodded: "It's all I have. The respect for myself. My honor. She won't take that away from me," she ended determined.  
  
Bryan shook his head. Letty could do it, but he said nothing. It would have been useless. "You're exactly like Dom," he said shaking his head, took back a forelock from her face and tenderly lifted her chin to stare into her eyes. She was so beautiful and not only because of her look but also because she was there. She was there still fighting against a world so far from hers, a world that hadn't accepted her completely. She was fighting against the lies, against all her demons, against something she hadn't wanted and still it had happened. She was alone. He couldn't help her. Heck! This drove him nuts. If only . . . he could talk . . . he caressed her cheek losing himself in the turquoise depths that her eyes had become after the crying.  
  
"It'll be fine," she cheered him up: "It'll be alright," she whispered mostly to herself.  
  
He hugged her strongly and she let him do it. He was so gentle, so comprehensive and she needed that. She was so angry and at the same time so lonely. She couldn't count on anyone. It was only her now and things had become even hard mostly since she'd seen Dom again. And what she'd tried to chase away was back. She looked at Bryan and stared into his big blue eyes trying to find an answer to her thousand questions. Suddenly she felt so tired and sad. Help me, she would have wanted to say to him. Help me.  
  
He looked at her and felt his heart tearing apart, he could read the deep sadness and solitude in those eyes. She was so lonely . . . if- only he could help her . . . he approached her . . . if- only he could . . . kiss her . . .Bryan bent down to her, their eyes locked, their lips so near almost touching and then Annie suddenly turned her face and he kissed her cheek. He breathed deeply feeling shaken by his emotions but said nothing. He swallowed hard and simply held her in his arms strongly. No words. As if nothing had just happened, trying to calm down his inner turmoil.  
  
Dom narrowed his eyes and swallowed hard at that. He turned away from the scene, he couldn't bear it any longer. He was shaken and angry and . . . Betrayed and hurt, that's how he felt.  
  
He clenched his fists digging his nails into his skin. He felt as if he was choking, overwhelmed by what he'd just seen and heard. He closed his eyes trying to reason and calm down but a few words still echoed in his mind with striking power: Lies, secrets, betrayal. Annie, his Annie was in all that. And Letty and Mia and Bryan! Dom shook his head incredulous. His best buddy, the one he trusted most. He was lying to him. He was cheating on Mia!  
  
The night. What had happened that damn night? He felt his head spinning. He'd been cheated on. Annie had cheated on him. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. His Annie. This thought seemed to drive him crazy, make him furious. And then his group. Everyone seemed to know everything except for him. He breathed deeply and opened his eyes again. He needed answers. Someone would have to pay for this.  
  
He stood up and looked decisively toward him. Answers. He fast walked away. It would be a long night. Lots of things needed to be cleared. Yes, it would be a damn long ass night.  
  
-------------------------------------- 


	26. ch26

CH.26  
  
Half an hour later Bryan was going back to his caravan to join Mia. He'd taken Anastasia back to Hector's sister and now was his turn to get some sleep.  
  
He was going to turn the handle of the caravan's door when he suddenly felt being grabbed by his shoulder, and before he could react, was turned around and punched in his face. He fell to the ground like a doll.  
  
"What - ?" Bryan said shaking his head and frowning worried. He looked up. "Dom? Are you mad?" He was astonished.  
  
"O'Connor, I already told you once that I won't accept another lie from you ever again!" he yelled at him.  
  
"What the fuck are you taking about?" Bryan said angrily massaging his aching chin, still sitting on the floor.  
  
"Told you to never lie to me!" Dom insisted bending down to punch him again.  
  
"Wait! Wait! I never lied to you!" he shouted worried.  
  
"Really? So tell me what's up between you and Annie? You fuck her?" Dom yelled furiously.  
  
"No! No! Dom! Are you mad??? We're just friends!" Bryan protested astonished.  
  
"Bullshit!" Dom shouted and punched him again.  
  
"Ah! Argh . . . oh . . . ohhhh . . . " Bryan moaned, the blow sending  
  
his world spinning, and felt his cheek split. He shook his head.  
  
Dom watched him disgusted. "So, do you wanna talk or shall I go on?"  
  
"I don't know what the fuck you are talking - " Bryan insisted but Dom hit him again, hard.  
  
This time blood started to flow from Bryan's mouth. He felt it and passed the tip of his tongue over the cut, licking it.  
  
Dom was staring at him furiously, his chest rising and lowering rhythmically. "So?" he roared.  
  
"You are crazy man!" Bryan replied shocked and angry.  
  
"Yes I am! And now tell me!" he yelled again.  
  
"What do you want me to say? That I like her? That there's been something between us? Is that what you want to hear?" Bryan burst out.  
  
"Yeah," Dom growled. His eyes surly, his fists ready.  
  
"Ok! Yes! I like her. A lot even! She's . . . . stunning! She's sweet and brilliant, so innocent but also strong and funny and stubborn and . . . she's incredibly lovely. She's sexy and . . . . ." Bryan paused lowering his tone as if he was embarrassed to reveal his inner thoughts, "and . . . .I'm -very - attracted to her. She's sensible and generous and honest!"  
  
Dom half closed his eyes. His anger was rising to dangerous levels.  
  
"There could have been something between us, yes, I admit it! Heck! I would have wanted! When I held her in my arms I . . . ." Bryan paused and shook his head. He breathed deeply. "But -" his tone lowered more, "she loves someone else and I do love and respect Mia. So even if I wanted her . . . . I'm sorry for you but - there's been nothing between me and Annie," Bryan ended in one go. He'd done it. Finally he'd said what he'd had in his heart for months. He felt strange - someway relieved.  
  
Dom watched him shaken. "So what's up between you and her?"  
  
"We're just friends. Yes, . . . sometimes we've been too close friends, but - that's it!" Bryan said smirking.  
  
Dom didn't wait and hit him again.  
  
"Why did you hit me again?" Bryan asked surprised.  
  
"Because - you double crossed!"  
  
"No! NO! No way! You're on the wrong track, completely!" Bryan said animatedly. "You hear me? There's been nothing between me and Annie."  
  
Dom fell silent and looked at him. "I'm talking about the night of the truck," he then explained.  
  
Bryan now looked worried: "How do you - "  
  
"Stand up" Dom ordered him offering his hand to help him. Bryan looked hesitantly at him and then obeyed. "Let's go for a little walk" Dom ordered. Bryan looked uncertain but followed him.  
  
"Now, do you talk or do I still have to convince you?" Dom said after a while.  
  
Bryan looked at him still undecided on what to do then started to tell him all about that night. Dom remained silent throughout the story. Bryan told him about Henry, the party, the night of the truck, about him, Mia and Annie. "And that's all" Bryan ended when he finished holding his breath for Dom's reaction.  
  
"You're a fucking idiot! You risked your own life and put Annie's in danger! She had to stay out of this!" Dom burst out, his eyes darkened of anger.  
  
"We had no choice! It was Henry's rule! We had to be together!" Bryan insisted.  
  
"And Annie accepted all that?" Dom asked incredulous.  
  
"At first, she didn't want it, then when he told us he would go to the police and report you, she accepted immediately," Bryan explained him.  
  
Dom looked at him speechless for a moment. "Why?" he asked quietly.  
  
Bryan shrugged then went on. "She was worried for you. Anything else didn't matter anymore." Bryan's words were very respectful. He was proud of her. She'd done it even when she was scared as hell and without any experience. She'd risked a lot just for him.  
  
Dom frowned.  
  
"But she also wanted to know. So I told her about your past and she held no reaction. She said nothing except that she would do what Henry said. She was very determined then." Bryan added.  
  
"So now, she knows all about my past." It wasn't a true question but more a realization. Dom closed his eyes and passed his hands over his head and face. He felt tired but mostly confused and surprised. Both things that he didn't like to be. Damn! He wouldn't have wanted her to know about his past. He wanted things to be different this time, but his past seemed not wanting to abandon him. And he'd thought to have everything under his control! He breathed deeply trying to clear his mind. "Why didn't you tell me?" he then asked.  
  
"We couldn't! It was part of the blackmail!" Bryan explained.  
  
Dom shook his head still in disbelief. "And Annie followed you." It wasn't a true question but his tone was still incredulous.  
  
Bryan simply nodded. His lips bent in a grin remembering the kiss with Annie.  
  
"What's so funny" Dom asked frowning at his reaction .  
  
Bryan became serious again and hurriedly muttered an apologize.  
  
Dom grunted frustrated.  
  
He stared at the emptiness of the night sky. Heck! That girl had risked her own life just for him. Why? And most important: Who was she? He remained silent and stared thoughtfully at Bryan.  
  
"And Letty? How does she fit in?" he asked finally.  
  
Bryan frowned not knowing exactly how Dom had discovered that.  
  
"She only saw us coming back home. Then it had not been too difficult for her to imagine the rest -" Bryan ended shrugging.  
  
"Mmh." he paused: " Why have you never told me?" he asked after a while raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Anastasia was scared that you would go and sort it out with Mia or me," Bryan explained a bit surprised by Dom's quiet reaction.  
  
"Silly girl," Dom said shaking his head.  
  
"Why? Because she was afraid of you?" Bryan's tone was sarcastic. "Would you have given her the chance to explain?"  
  
He was right, and Dom knew it. "What I still don't understand is why Annie ran away that night," Dom muttered to himself shaking his head thoughtfully, then looked toward Bryan as if to find a solution. He couldn't understand.  
  
"Why don't you ask Letty" Bryan said quietly.  
  
Dom glanced at him still angry: "I'm asking you!"  
  
Bryan looked at him thoughtfully. Should he tell him all? He shook his head resigned. "Letty blackmails Annie. That's why Annie ran away four months ago," Bryan said.  
  
"What for?"  
  
"Well, I think for this, you gotta talk to Letty," Bryan said.  
  
"And you? Why did you know it?"  
  
"I know it and stop," Bryan replied toughly.  
  
"It can't be true," Dom shook his head thoughtfully.  
  
"Have you ever talked to Letty?"  
  
Dom glanced at him undecided.  
  
"And ask her why she hates Annie so much!" Bryan said decisive. "Only remember, sometimes things are different from what they seem" he ended enigmatically.  
  
Dom stared at him frowning. What did it mean? Anyway he was right: it was time to talk to Letty.  
  
---------------------------------------  
  
Next Day.  
  
The races started as usual and Dom as well as Letty and Anastasia raced and won them all. For lunch time Annie was at a good point. She was the only driver of Hector's groups who had survived. There were still Tran, Dom and Letty on the list.  
  
She was having a little rest alone in the shadow, eyes closed, relaxing, enjoying the little breeze on that hot sunny day. Suddenly she heard the sound of steps approaching. She opened her eyes and she mentally cursed.  
  
"What do you want?" Annie asked, already knowing the answer.  
  
"Still wanna race?" Letty asked once in front of her. Annie nodded.  
  
"We'll be the first at the starting line in the afternoon. A couple of competitors dropped out," Letty informed her briefly. "Bring the money with you," she added and went away.  
  
Shit! Annie thought. She hadn't expected to meet Letty so soon. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. She needed to concentrate now.  
  
--------------------------------------------  
  
One hour and a half later. The two cars were preparing to race.  
  
Annie was with Hector. "You got a great idea Annie! I'm gonna make some good money with it!" he was so thrilled: "Letty is the greatest female racer, and if you defeat her, it'll make me become famous!" Annie smiled at Hector but her mind was already at the race.  
  
"You're here," Letty stated finally joining her.  
  
"I would have never missed this chance," Annie said with a defiant smile.  
  
"What the hell are you doing?" a voice like thunder suddenly said. Annie turned just in time to see Dom reaching them fast. He was angry.  
  
"We race," Letty simply told him sure of herself.  
  
"It's still not the time for your race against her, and even if so, I haven't given you the permission, if I remember well!" Dom toughly replied.  
  
"Firstly, it's our turn to race, because some girls dropped out and secondly . . . . I'm not part of your team anymore, Toretto. I don't have to ask for your permission to race, I can go against whoever I want to," Annie said toughly staring at him defiantly.  
  
He looked at her angrily.  
  
"Racers please make your bet, in five minutes, you have to be on the starting line," a man of the organization came to announce them.  
  
"Ok. How much?" Hector asked.  
  
"Throw a number," Letty answered.  
  
"No, no. You say," Hector insisted smiling.  
  
"Ok. 15.000$, winner takes all," Letty said decisively.  
  
Dom immediately turned to look at Letty, frowning.  
  
"What???" Hector was astonished. Annie's eyes widened in surprise.  
  
"Man, you'll never see a race like that in your life again!" Letty said arrogantly to convince him.  
  
Hector stared undecided at her for a few seconds. "Ok. Want to play hard? Let's do it!" he finally gave up smiling fascinated.  
  
"Hector!" Annie placed a hand on his forearm worried. He turned to look at her. "Are you sure?" she asked him. She wanted to race with all herself, but she hadn't expected such an amount. The risk had to be hers alone and shouldn't involve her friends.  
  
"I trust you" Hector simply said shrugging, smiling at Annie. She was really surprised by his frankness, but smiled and nodded.  
  
"Dom?" Letty asked waiting for the money. Dom looked at both girls thoughtfully for a moment, then took his money and gave it to Letty.  
  
"My man!" Letty said satisfied: "He does whatever I tell him to," her tone arrogantly.  
  
Hector raised an eyebrow in surprise.  
  
Dom gave her a grim look, but didn't reply.  
  
"Gotta talk to you," he said in a low tone grabbing Letty's arm stopping her: "Now," he underlined decisively.  
  
"Later," she toughly replied freeing herself. Then she jumped in her car and closed the door just in front of him. She put the window down: "Wish me luck," she ordered arrogantly.  
  
"Good luck," he said through his teeth.  
  
She almost didn't wait and moved to the starting line. He looked worried at her car driving away.  
  
"Oh man, I don't want to miss that!" Hector said all excited to Dom and fast walked to the starting line followed by his team as well as Toretto's. Dom was the last to arrive.  
  
"Why you didn't stop them?" Mia said reaching Dom.  
  
"I couldn't," he almost whispered, angry and worried at the same time.  
  
"Is it possible that you don't understand??? They are not racing for the money! They're risking their own life for you! Money means nothing!" Mia shouted gesturing to the two cars very concerned.  
  
He slowly turned to look at his sister, truly realizing the meaning of her words in that moment.  
  
"You'll never grow up!" she yelled at him and left him alone, too angry and worried to fight with her brother.  
  
Dom breathed deeply. It was right. He closed his eyes worried. What have I done? he thought, fear welling up inside him.  
  
"Line up!" the flagman shouted as everyone backed away from the road between the cars on each side.  
  
Letty pulled her car on the starting line. The black Subaru of Annie pulled up next to her. Annie let her right window down and slowly turned to meet Letty' s gaze. They exchanged a long, defiant, tough look. Letty smiled, arrogantly. They both looked in front of them revving up their engines.  
  
Annie breathed deeply. She closed her eyes and slowly isolated herself from all the noises around her. Then she opened them and looked up, waiting for the flagman.  
  
"3, . . . . 2, . . . . .1, . . . . " before he waved the flag, flames were shooting out the exhaust tips. When the man finally gave the sign the cars roared loudly and took off with squealing tires.  
  
It was on.  
  
Dom watched the scene almost in trance. He'd seen Letty race. He knew her, she was skilled. He'd seen Annie: she'd changed, she was incredibly better than before. But now, it was something else. This wasn't the usual race. There was rage in all that. It would be hard and dangerous.  
  
Letty found her gears perfectly as did Annie with her black jewel. They were running exactly head-to-head.  
  
"Let's see what you can do!" Letty said and without waiting, she pushed her car toward Annie's to scare her. Annie caught her in time. "You won't do this again!" Annie muttered. She'd expected this from her and swiftly moved her car just in time to avoid her.  
  
"Fuck!" Letty shouted slamming her hand on the wheel.  
  
She had to win. There was no way. Now or never. She pushed her NOS button, immediately she heard the tires squeal and found herself buried in her Sparco seat. Annie pushed her NOS button too and in a while she was nearby her again.  
  
"What the fuck are they doing???" Vince shouted astonished: "They hit the button too early!"  
  
"Great! I've never seen something like that before!" Hector said all excited.  
  
Dom angrily turned like a tiger to Hector and pushed him against a car: "Fucking idiot! They're risking their lives!" Dom yelled blinded by fury and fear for them.  
  
Hector's eyes widened scared at this sudden reaction and raised his hands in a surrender gesture.  
  
"Dom! It's not the moment! Dom!" Bryan said pushing him away from Hector. Dom breathed hard to control himself and nodded. All three of them returned their attention to the race.  
  
They were still head to head, their cars roaring furiously. Their engines pushed to the extreme. Letty came near Annie's car again. They were inches from one other, running around 170 mph. But both of them didn't take the feet off the gas, remaining on the same level.  
  
It wasn't about the cars anymore. It was a psychological endurance. It was the strongest one. Annie had her hands cold because of the tension. Letty was sweated.  
  
"I'm the one!" Letty suddenly shouted, not able to stand the tension anymore and pushed both of her NOS buttons at the same time.  
  
An impossible shoot of NOS arrived at her engine. Her car jumped faster on, like no car had ever done before. "Eat my dust bitch!" Letty shouted.  
  
Annie saw Letty' s car jumping forward like a bullet shot by a gun. She frowned. Letty was too fast, she wouldn't be able to reach her! Letty now was far ahead. But she had to try. It was now or never. Against her common sense, knowing the limits of her car, she pushed her NOS button before it was usually recommended and immediately the world seemed to dissolve around her, the car roared dreadfully pushing violently forward. In a second she was stuck against her Sparco seat and nothing existed anymore except for the street in front of her. It was like the NOS was running in her veins, the adrenaline level rose to almost impossible heights in her, and an immense sense of freedom mixed with power invaded her. Her car almost joined the one of Letty, but not quite.  
  
Letty saw her in her rear view mirror and laughed out loud: "Buster!" Suddenly she heard something clinching, a red light was flashing. It was the temperature of the oil that had raised to a dangerous level. She should have taken the foot off the throttle. She glanced at the street, the finish line was not far from her.  
  
"NO! Not now! C'mon! Not now!" She shouted worried. But then she heard a familiar bang and another red light switched on, on her dashboard. She closed her eyes for a second. She knew that she'd fried the pistons.  
  
All in one go, her engine started to cough, smoke came out from the hood and the speed collapsed in a flash: " FUCK!" she shouted angrily, hitting the wheel violently.  
  
Annie saw the scene just in front of her someway surprised. Letty had fried her engine. Without too much difficulty she passed Letty, when she saw a red light going off on her dashboard - her oil temperature was dangerously high. Fortunately it was just in time to cross the finish line first. She immediately took her foot off the accelerator and made her car stop. A little smoke started to come from the hood. Maybe if she was lucky, she'd saved her engine.  
  
Letty reached her slowly, her car awfully smoking now from the hood. It was a chance that no fire had broken out. She shook her head and breathed deeply. They'll be mad, Annie thought.  
  
Anastasia was declared the winner of the race. Hector and Toretto joined the girls immediately followed by the rest of their teams.  
  
"Annie are you all right?" Hector asked anxiously opening the door of her car and pulling her outside to hug her.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine don't worry," Annie said in a low tone still shaken.  
  
"And - " he hesitantly asked her embarrassed.  
  
"Also the car should be fine, Hector," she ended with a grin reading his thoughts. A sigh of relief escaped from Hector's mouth.  
  
She smiled quietly. Leaning against the side of her car.  
  
"You've been great!" he suddenly said happily: " I've never seen something like that! People were crazy for you! You did it! You beat her! Can't believe it, . . . . we won!!" he was all excited.  
  
Annie smiled quietly then glanced at Letty and her car.  
  
"She made a big mistake," Hector said following Annie's line of sight and shaking his head: "You've been smart," he ended grinning at her.  
  
"No, I've been lucky," Annie immediately whispered seriously.  
  
Dom ran up to Letty: "How are you?" he asked her worried while Jesse joined them holding a fire extinguisher ready for everything.  
  
"She cheated on me!" Letty said angrily without even listening to Dom.  
  
"Letty? Letty!" Dom shouted to recall her attention.  
  
"She cheated on me," Letty repeated obstinately.  
  
"No, Letty. You did all by yourself!" Dom toughly replied then.  
  
"No!" Letty protested furiously.  
  
"You played like an incompetent! Who the hell told you to do that? Are  
  
you mad?! The car could have exploded and you knew it! Letty? Letty! Listen  
  
to me!" he yelled angrily.  
  
Racing was good, but he wouldn't allow foolishness. It was too dangerous in that sport. And Letty's behavior had been nothing but foolish and dangerous, risking her own - even worse: someone else's life unnecessarily, only to boost her ego. But Letty wasn't listening to him anymore and already ran toward Annie very menacingly.  
  
Annie prepared herself for the worst.  
  
"Oh? Oh! You stop!" said Hector placing himself between the two girls. "You lost," Hector declared briefly: "You gotta pay."  
  
Dom joined Letty and gave his money to Hector.  
  
"You're not gonna pay her! Come on! She's a skank! She's nothing! She was only lucky! I wanna play this again!" Letty yelled at Dom, her voice reaching its crescendo.  
  
"Oh, yes?" Dom burst out fed up of her tone. "With what? You just fried your car! You burnt your brain!" he paused to breathe trying to cool himself down: "No, it's enough this time, Letty. You lost," Dom declared in a newfound calm tone, even while his eyes still flashed with anger.  
  
"I never lose! It was a mistake! I wanna do this again! Letty has never lost a race!" Letty yelled furiously.  
  
"You just did," Hector stated with a little winning grin on his face, too happy to hide it.  
  
"Bastard! I'm gonna take that smile out of your face!" Letty said menacingly ready to jump on him, but Dom grabbed her and threw her back.  
  
"You stop!" he ordered her in a warning tone: "It's enough. Don't push it. You embarrass me!"  
  
"No! - I - say 'when' it's enough or not!" Letty replied fuming and tried again to leap at Anastasia this time, who made a step back refusing to fight.  
  
Dom stopped Letty just in time.  
  
"Would you excuse us for a minute Hector" Dom said and dragged her away followed by his team.  
  
"So? You gonna stop this or what?" Dom asked staring at Letty with a terrible warning look.  
  
"Dom! She's cheating on you!" Letty insisted. "She's not a racer! And you're so blind not to understand it!"  
  
"Letty, you're crossing the line!" Dom warned her. He didn't want to quarrel in front of the rest of the team.  
  
"No! You have to listen to me!" Letty continued: "I know what she has done!"  
  
"Don't - " Dom didn't want to hear it, but Letty started to tell him her version about the night of the truck.  
  
"Your nice girl stole the money and she also organized the theft of the truck forcing Bryan and your little sis to take part of it!" Letty ended serious but with a triumphant note in her voice.  
  
"She's lying!" Mia said.  
  
Dom didn't react and remained calm: "Letty, I already know the whole story."  
  
"What???" she was shocked.  
  
"I told him everything," Bryan explained quietly.  
  
Letty looked dumbfounded alternatively to Mia, Dom and Bryan, while the rest of the team observed her silently.  
  
"She's still a thief," Letty insisted, "she took your money."  
  
"She gave the money back," Mia simply told her.  
  
"So what? She stole one time, she can do it again! After all, you know nothing about her past," Letty replied toughly.  
  
"No," Bryan suddenly intervened.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Annie has never stolen in her life," Bryan continued confidently.  
  
"Oh, yeah? And how do you know that?" Letty said sure of herself.  
  
Dom turned to Bryan without understanding.  
  
"Because I know who she really is," Bryan said in one go staring at Dom.  
  
Dom frowned astonished.  
  
"Annie is the daughter of one of the highest diplomatic appointments of the English embassy in Italy. Daughter of someone important. She never stole a penny in her whole life," Bryan ended.  
  
"That's why I found nothing on her on the net!" Jesse said now realizing it.  
  
"But she could be a thief however!" Letty insisted.  
  
"Tell him the truth, Letty!" Bryan finally burst out.  
  
"Stay out of this, Mister Arizona, this is none of your business!" Letty said through her teeth.  
  
"It's my business too," Bryan replied.  
  
"Shut your fucking mouth!" Letty said irritated.  
  
"Stop!" Dom finally said wanting to shut them all up. He turned to Letty. "I want the truth. The whole entire truth," he told seriously, toughly staring at her.  
  
She looked at him uncertain of what to do, feeling more and more nervous. She bit her lower lip and finally she broke down. She told him the truth even about the theft and her responsibility in all that, starting to cry at the end.  
  
"Why?" Dom asked at last, sadly shaking his head in disbelief.  
  
"I did it for love. For us, Dom! For us!" Letty replied in a trembling voice. Dom held her in his arms to calm her down.  
  
Annie was leaned against her car waiting when she turned and saw Dom holding a crying Letty lovingly in his arms. She half closed her eyes feeling an aching pain in the middle of her chest. She swallowed and breathed deeply then she swiftly turned her head away.  
  
"Us? What 'us'?" Dom said giving vent to his feelings: "There's been no 'us' anymore for almost a year, but we've always refused to admit it. We've continued like everything was fine, when it wasn't. Truth is, that it's been over for a lot of time."  
  
"No! That's not true!" Letty replied obstinately.  
  
"Letty, open your eyes. Let's face the reality! We quarrel all the time!" Dom said exasperated. Then he calmed down: "If only we had had the courage to talk before, we wouldn't have suffered so much," Dom ended.  
  
Letty cried silently: "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, Dom! I didn't want things to go this way," Letty finally said sighing. She was saying the truth.  
  
Dom stared at her thoughtful: "Neither did I," he muttered.  
  
They came back to Hector: " Where is Anastasia?" Dom asked becoming immediately sullen as she wasn't there.  
  
"She's gone, man. She's withdrawn," Hector explained flatly, looking a bit sad. "Oh! And this is for you," Hector added giving him the money of the bet. "She told me to report you that this was the last installment, and now she owed you nothing."  
  
"Where did she go?" Dom asked alarmed.  
  
Hector shrugged: "Who knows?"  
  
"You have to know it!" Dom toughly said approaching him menacingly and taking Hector by his shirt: "Where does she work?"  
  
Hector looked scared at Dom who was completely out of control and finally told him.  
  
Dom left Hector immediately and turned threatening toward Letty: "You better whish that I find her or I'll hold you personally responsible for my unhappiness!" he yelled at her.  
  
------------------------------------- 


End file.
